We Found Love In A Hopeless Place
by LostInMyFantasyWorld
Summary: When the alarms sounded we thought it was a joke, we were wrong. A year has passed and we're still on the run. The fight for survival is on, and we're trapped right in the middle of it. Apocolypse!AU. Faberry also includes snippets of Klaine and Brittana. Rated M for language and later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Glee or any of the characters.**

**This is my first Fan fiction so bear with me. Hope you enjoy it.**

Quinn POV

I don't know when it was that we decided to head to the city, but what I do know, is that it was a mutual decision by all of us. We needed supplies, we had been running short for weeks. We had already cleaned out all the nearest fuel stations, supermarkets and general stores. It was time to check out New York. There was a chance we'd find survivors, big city like that, people smart enough to survive there, smart enough to avoid the things. There wasn't a person around now who didn't realize you had to stay of their way. They were always there, always waiting; and the cities were the worst. But we had to take our chances. We were currently holding out in a two story house that was situated a few towns out, it was fortified, and big, we'd got lucky.

I just laugh at the whole situation now and the stupidity of the Government; but I didn't find it funny when the whole thing started. I was back in Lima visiting Mum for the holidays when it all happened. The government thought they had contained whatever infection it was, but they couldn't have been more wrong. Within weeks of the virus being released it had spread across the United States and within the months it had consumed the entire world. The few survivors that there were learned to keep moving, we couldn't stay anywhere to long because if we did THEY would be drawn to us, a never ending army of the undead.

"How's it looking Fabray?" Sam's voice cuts through the earpiece.

"Nothing yet. It's quiet." I reply.

I was one of the two scouts for our group. Our job was to ride our motorbikes ahead of the others, we learned at the very beginning it was a hell of a lot easier to escape on a bike than in a car if something happened.

"Too quiet for New York Quinn," He spoke again, "Keep your eyes peeled".

I look to my side and see that Puck has appeared next to me, signalling me to stop. I was confused, we had never stopped while checking a town before, I wasn't sure it was safe but it must be important if he wants to stop. I pull up in the middle of the road and pull my helmet off.

"What's up Puckerman?" I ask as he removes his own helmet.

"Shut your engine off," he tells me as he turns his off.

I look at him with a confused expression and shut it off. "What are we…?" I started to say but he put his hand up, silencing me.

"Listen", he whispers, "Hear that?"

I do what he says and listen to my surroundings. I don't hear anything but the wind blowing things around the street, old newspapers, leaves and bits of rubbish. When the pandemic started, so did the looters; and when the living started to turn, the same looters tried to flee. They were killed, or worse, turned. Widespread panic ensued, accidents occurred. It was the same in all the cities. Except this, this was different; no bodies, no undead, nothing. This didn't sit right with me at all.

I turned back to Puck about to ask him if he had gone crazy and that was when I heard it. My head immediately snapped around to Puck, my eyes wide, jaw hanging loosely in realization. His expression matched mine. Moans and growls were getting louder and by the sounds of it they were no further away than a street over. I shook my head "Shit!" I exclaim as I slam the helmet back on my head. Our bikes started at the same time and I look over at Puck who has a baseball bat in his hand, nodding at me. That small gesture means so much to the both of us. We both know it means if one of just gets stuck and there is no hope just leave and get yourself out of there. And most importantly, it meant goodbye. I nod back and hit the gas. We turned around and headed back the way we came, but as we turn the next corner we are greeted by thousands of undead. I slam on the breaks and turn back and head the other way. I pass the street we came out of and keep going straight. New York was like a jungle and there was no way we were finding our way out on our own.

"Sam do you copy?" I say.

I only have to wait a short time before getting a reply "I copy Quinn, what's the problem?"

"This place is crawling with those god damned pieces of shit!" I tell him as I turn a corner into another street, "and this place is like a damn maze. We need a way out!"

I look around the street I just turned down, there was no doubt it was Broadway. Billboards everywhere and signs that used to be full of lights, everything now falling apart. If Rachel saw this she would be heart broken. None of us knew what had happened to Berry after the virus took over. We heard from her once before the phone lines were cut, but nothing since. Our only hope was that she got out, that she's safe, and that we will all find our way back to each other.

"SAM" I say, getting worried, the undead are on every corner, in every side street.

"Okay okay! Turn down… West 66th street," he tells me.

I follow his direction and turn when I reach the street. I'm glad when we all decided to install gps and tracking devices on our vehicles. It comes in handy so often, this being a prime example. As I turn I see Puck is still keeping up, I smile to myself. Thank God he came with me.

"Then left on Amsterdam Avenue" I get told.

Too late. As we reach the end of 66th street the undead are already piling into the street. I hit the brakes, swinging hard to turn around and head back the way we came.

"New route!" I scream into the headset.

"Go back the way you came and turn left onto Columbus" he quickly replied.

By the time we had reached the other end, the undead were there too. We were boxed in. There was no way we could shoot our way through this. It would only draw more towards us and I doubted we had enough ammo or energy to win against that. We drove back to down the street and stopped. I look over at Puck and notice he's pointing upwards to a broken sign. New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts. NYADA. I whip my helmet off and Puck does the same.

"In there!" He yells over the roaring of the bikes and the sounds of the ever nearing zombies.

"How do we know it's safe?" I scream back.

"Safer than out here I'm betting," he shrugs.

I nod, "let's go".

I drive my bike closer to the door, turn it off and head toward the entrance, followed closely by Puck. The door seemed to be locked from the inside. That could be either a very good or very bad sign. I began to pick the lock and Puck didn't look very impressed, but he knew we couldn't just shoot it open, we needed to lock it behind us. I hear Puck load his P90, his sub machine gun, and I know I need to move faster. I fiddle with the lock until I hear that satisfying click and the door swings open.

"Quick!" I say to Puck, "Get inside."

We slam the doors closed behind us, barring them with the nearest table we could find, it wasn't very big but it would do for now at least, the undead weren't that smart, we could barricade it properly later. I turn around, the room was dark, the windows were boarded up. With a glance at Puck we turn our torches on."

"Where are we?" He asks as he moves his torch around the room.

This room was like every other we had seen. Looted, messy, and destroyed. I'd never been in a college like NYADA, but this was a common room, I was sure. There are lounges that are spread randomly around the room, a smashed flat screen lying on the floor next to an over turned table. Glass was scatted on the floor and rubbish everywhere just like out on the street.

I jump when I hear Sam in my ear, "Situation?"

I look over at Puck.

"Looks to be NYADA's common room," he tells Sam, "Possibly for the onsite accommodation".

My heart skips a beat. Rachel Berry would have been here. Walking these halls, lazing on these couches.

"There was no way out Sam," I say quietly, "We needed to get off the street."

"Okay barricade yourselves in for the night and we will come for you tomorrow." He told us, putting on his 'I'm on a mission' voice.

"NO!" both Puck and I say at the same time.

We look at each other and I speak, "there's no way you can reach us Sam, there's way too many of those _things_ out there."

"Don't risk the lives of those we have left" Puck added.

I just nodded at him. There was only nine out of the sixteen of us left. They need each other and a futile mission to save us was out of the question, too many of them would be lost.

I heard Sam sigh over the headset "Okay. Keep us posted."

"We will." Puck replied

"Good luck" He told us and then signed off.

We were on our own now. There was no help coming and I was worried. It had been a while since I was worried, or maybe I have always been worried but it had become a normal feeling for me now and I just don't notice it.

"Give me a hand with this," Puck told me, grabbing an end of one of the couches, "let's move it in front of the door to reinforce the table."

I grabbed the other end and helped him move it. It wouldn't stop them if they got in, only slow them down. As we neared the door we could hear the ever present moaning and growling that never fails to make the hair on my neck stand on end. We put the couch down in front of the door and they began to bang and scratch on the glass. They could smell us.

"We need to move away from here," I whispered to Puck, "Maybe upstairs, they might move away."

"Worth a try," he replied, "its best we check out this place anyway and make sure it's safe."

I nodded and pulled out one of my pistols from its holster and turned the safety off. Puck picked up the baseball bat that he placed on the floor when we first entered, swinging it over his shoulder.

I lead the way because I still had my torch out; Puck had to put his away because he couldn't carry it and the baseball bat. I trod light and quiet as we ventured down the halls, peeking into the rooms as we went; could never be too careful. We turned into the next room and found ourselves in the kitchen; it looked like every other room, rubbish and furniture overturned. It's impossible to guess how long ago this place had been evacuated. I opened cupboards and doors to see if there was any food that was still okay to eat. Who knew how long we would be in here for. I opened the cupboard next to the sink to find it full of canned food. Stacked neatly in order of what type of food it was. What the hell? Wouldn't all of the cupboards been cleaned out when people left? And why would it have still been stacked like this? I picked up one of the cans and looked at it, it was tinned spaghetti and it was still alright to eat. They all seemed to be in date and edible.

"Puck," I called, "come over here and look at all this food".

"Is it okay to eat?" he asked.

"Yea it is, I just don't know why it is all here"

"I don't either but let's not question it"

"Do you think someone is living here?"

"We will soon find out" he replied opening the cupboard next to this one, chips, soda cans. Someone definitely stocked up.

We closed the cupboards and decided to head upstairs, if anyone was hiding here they would be hiding in the rooms. I shined the torch up the stairs and waited for a minute before I began to climb them. Then windows on the second floor were also boarded up, making it as dark up here as it was downstairs. We walked up to the first landing on the left, it was unlocked. I looked at puck and he nodded. I watched him turn the nob and open the door. I quickly moved into the room and looked around, my gun secured beneath the flashlight as I turned frantically. It was empty, and in the same state as downstairs, a war zone if I had ever seen one.

"Clear." I whisper letting Puck know it's safe to come in.

We move slowly through the rooms on the second floor. We came to a door that was locked but didn't think twice about it and just moved on to the next one. There had been no sign that the undead have even been in here, however we didn't know why they would have locked the door on the way out when they were leaving. We opened the door to the last room and again there was nothing there. This room was bigger and had 2 beds; it must have been a shared room but was still as messy and ruined as the rest.

"That's it," Puck finally said, making me jump out of my skin, "I'm so sick of this dark business."

"What…" was all I could get out before Puck had walked over to the window and pulled off the board that was blocking the window. A dull orange light filled the room. It was sunset. It must have been early afternoon when we entered the building, how long had we been searching.

We looked down onto the street and saw that it was still filled with the undead. I looked up at Puck and his worried expression mirrored mine. I placed a hand on his arm and he looked down at me. "We will get out of this," I spoke softly, "we always manage to."

"We have never been screwed this bad before Quinn," he replied back looking down at me, "come on. Let's go back down stairs and have something to eat; we haven't eaten since before we left this morning."

I didn't realise how hungry I was until he mentioned it, and as if right on cue, my stomach grumbled. I smiled "Yeah lets go eat something".

He smiled back at me and put his arm around my shoulder as we walked back down into the kitchen. There wasn't as much as I first thought, chips and soda seemed the best option. When I walked back into the common room Puck had moved the other lounge around so it was facing the door. I smiled to myself and went and sat next to him and handed him a packet.

"You've changed Quinn." Puck stated.

"I think we've all changed," I replied, "we had to."

I looked over at him; I could just make out his features in the dark. Physically we were all the same, apart from some scratches and bruises and the fact that we are all a lot fitter. Puck still had his hawk, and Blaine still uses that gel to slick his hair down; but we have all changed emotionally and mentally. Become a lot stronger. Resilient.

"Would you have even imagined that we would be sitting here a year and a half ago?" He asked me.

It had only been a year since the infection hit but has felt like a lifetime. We all had dreams we wanted to achieve. I was at Yale, Rachel Berry was here at NYADA. It's sad to think we will never get to where we wanted to go; our dreams now were to simply survive this nightmare.

"You know I imagined sitting here one day, different circumstances," I told him, "Rachel tried to plan a visit for me. You know before..."

"I know what you mean," he sighed, "We've lost so many people that we love and care about."

He was right, we have. Mum didn't believe me when it started and she got bitten almost straight away. So many friends from school didn't have a chance. As soon as the infection hit the school, half of them were gone in a day, others were lost along the way. We didn't know where to go or what to do; but we knew the best thing was to keep moving once all communications were lost.

"I wish we could have known then what we knew now, just so we could have saved some of them or even warned them." I told him thinking of Rachel again, the last communication we had seemed rushed somehow. We were friends. I wanted her safe. Needed her safe.

As caught up in my thoughts as I was, from the corner of my eye I saw something moving towards my head, a wooden tool. My first and only instinct was to duck, lacking the time to call out to Puck.

_THUNK!_

It hit him in the back of head, sending him to his knees with a sickening crunch. I jumped off the lounge and out of the way. My eyes wide with fear, pistol drawn in shaking hands, and pointed at the attacker. Their face was obscured, shrouded by the darkness that still plagued the room. I saw their breath hitch, their hands dug into the wood. For the first time in a long time, I was alone, terrified and alone, left to face the darkest monster of them all. The living.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

**Aurthor's note: **Wow! Thanks to those who reviewed, favourited my story, and added it to your alert list. It has just made me want to write faster so I can get the next chapter up for you all. Please keep reviewing.

I was too scared to move, to breathe… to speak. I didn't like feeling scared it made me feel vulnerable. I wanted to see if Puck was ok but I didn't want to take my eyes off the assailant. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I couldn't cry. I needed to stay strong. I cried a lot early on but I soon learnt that it didn't help or bring people back. The tears felt foreign in my eyes and it was blurring my already impaired vision. I'm glad it was dark, my hands were shaking horribly and I didn't want them to see that.

"Put your weapon down," they finally spoke. The voice was female and it took me off guard.

"Y-you put down your weapon," I tried to say as confidently as I could, "I'm the one with the gun. I could shoot you three times over before you could even walk over here and hit me with that wooden thing."

"You broke into my place, stole my food, do you honestly believe I'd put the weapon down and let you keep yours?" She bravely said to me, the one with the gun, "we will put them down at the same time or nothing."

I thought about it for a moment and then replied "Fine. We drop them on three."

"Agreed" she said back.

I nodded, little to her knowledge I still had my other pistol in its holster, if she tried anything it would be out in less than a second.

"1... 2…. 3" We both say together.

I hear the wood hit the floor as I bend and place my gun on the ground. I see my flashlight next to where I put my gun. It must have fallen off the couch when I jumped out of the way. I thought about it for a moment before I picked it up and as soon as I stood up I turned it on and flashed it at the female attacker.

I nearly fell over when I saw who it was. My eyes widened. "No way," I was barely able to get out.

"Would you be so kind and remove that light from my face?" She asked.

"Rachel," I spoke dropping the flashlight on the ground.

"How do you know my name?" she started, "well I was hoping that the world would know my name and it would be up everywhere in lights. However that will now never happen, but back to my original question, how do you know my name?"

Definitely Rachel.

I didn't know what my emotions were doing. I wanted to cry, to laugh, to scream her name, to tell the world she was alright, to hold her in my arms and never let her go. I was unable to form words. What would I say anyway? I slowly walked over to her, my eyes never leaving her face. When I finally reached her I placed my hands on either side of her face making sure she was real.

"Quinn?" She choked out, "is that you?"

"It's me," was all I could get out.

My eyes had adjusted to darkness and being this close I was able to see every inch of her.

"I don't believe it," she sobbed and threw herself into my arms.

I hugged her tight against me. She was alright, Rachel Berry was here and she was ok. I had one hand firmly on the base of her back and the other resting against her head. I felt her shake under me followed by a small sob.

"Rach, it's okay," I whispered squeezing her tighter to me, "nothing is going to happen to you now."

Her brown eyes glanced up at me as tears fell from them; her grip tightening that much more as her face returned to drowning itself in my shoulder. I don't remember the last time I felt like this, warm, secure, happy. I'd spent so long shutting emotions out in favour of survival. And now she was here, safe, alive.

Rachel's voice broke me out of my stupor "Quinn I don't mean to interrupt our reunion, but who did I just knock out?"

"Fuck!" I exclaimed running over to where Puck lay face down, "Puck?"

I heard him moan and roll over. I put my hand where he had been hit, there was no blood but there was one hell of a lump.

"What the hell just happened?" he asked rubbing his head as he tried to sit up.

"Careful," I say helping him, "the person that hit you, it was Rachel."

"Oh okay," he replied, "RACHEL!"

"Yeah. Rachel is here. I was just as shocked as you." Actually I think I was more shocked than him.

"Rachel," I said taking her hand, "come over here."

There was silence for a second and then Rachel began to cry again.

"I am so sorry Noah" She gripped my hand tighter, "I didn't know who or what you were, I thought you were breaking in to steal my food and kill me."

Puck pulled Rachel into his arms for a hug. She released my hand and I immediately missed the warmth.

"Rachel it's fine really," Puck replied, "it was a good hit, at least we know you can stand your ground against anything if you need to."

She laughed and it sounded like all the angels of heaven were singing.

"What are you guys doing here anyway?" She asked looking back over at me, "You couldn't be looking for me because really it was a one in a million chance that you actually found me here."

"We came into New York because we were looking for supplies, food, medicine, ammunition, fuel and whatever else we could scrounge up." She was looking at me intently and it was hard to focus on the story, "We all decided that we needed to search a bigger city because all the smaller ones had been cleaned out already. Puck and I are scouts, we come in on bikes and make sure the place is safe before we bring the cars in. Turns out it wasn't safe, we got cornered every way we went and then Puck decided we needed to get inside. So we did and this just so happened to be the place we stopped in front of."

She smiled. "I'm glad you did" she replied reaching for my hand.

Puck tried to stand up and would have fallen back down if I hadn't of supported him. He was heavy but nothing I couldn't handle.

"Put him on one of the beds upstairs," Rachel suddenly said, "he will be more comfortable there."

Perfect idea, why didn't I think of that? Come on Fabray get with it. I reached down and picked up the baseball bat and handed it to Puck to help support himself.

"Thanks," he said taking it out of my hand.

We found the room where Puck had previously opened the windows and laid him on one of the beds. Rachel had given us some of her last painkillers to help the throb in Pucks head.

Both of us knew that one of us needed to be stay up and keep a look out and it took me ten minutes to convince Puck that he needed to rest and that I was fine on watch tonight. When he finally agreed he turned over with a huff and went soundly off to sleep.

I turned to Rachel, I could finally see her properly because of the moon light that came through the window. She was sitting on the other bed looking up at me. The small girl's once perfect hair was now a mess, her face was covered in dirt, her cheeks a little sunken and she had dark rings under her eyes. I should have been here for her, she shouldn't have had to go through all this alone.

"Rachel?" I whispered.

"Mmm?" she answered.

"How much have you slept lately?" I asked.

"Not a lot," she replied dropping her head, "since it had gotten really bad I've been to scared to sleep too long just in case help came or those things got in."

She paused

"I wouldn't have had more than 3 hours sleep a night," she sighed.

I slid onto the bed next to her and put my arms around her. "You're safe now Rachel, sleep and I will protect you from everything."

"I know," she said smiling snuggling into my side, "Thank you Quinn."

The night was quiet, calm, almost peaceful. After Rachel drifted off to sleep I reluctantly slid her out of my arms, but kept her hand in mine and stood by the window and looked out. It was clear and the moon showed me everything below. The undead seem to have dispersed and there were only a few left lingering in the street. I saw our bikes, still standing where we left them which surprised me with the amount of undead that were in the street. I woke Puck up a few times during the night just to make sure he didn't have a concussion. He offered to take over watch a few times but I didn't let him, he needed to recover.

I sat and watched as the undead passed below. There would have to be thousands of undead here in this city and that was the reason there were no bodies that lay strewn in street. The city would have been picked clean by those things. They could have as easily gotten in here and the same thing could have happened to Rachel. This made my blood run cold, I looked over at her, warm, soft, beautiful. I couldn't imagine her as one of those things.

I looked out the window again as one of them stopped and sniffed the air. My heart stopped as its head turned and looked up at me. My eyes widened and I didn't move. Was it looking at me? It couldn't be. Still looking it took a step towards me and snapped it teeth together. I was not breathing, I was not moving. It couldn't get me up here I know but if the others came back there would be no chance of escape. I breathed out a sigh of relief as it turned and stumbled up the street.

"Quinn," Rachel said from behind me making me nearly jump through the roof.

"Ahhh" I yelled as I jumped and put a hand to my chest, "Geeze Rach, you scared the hell out of me."

My heart was beating at a million miles an hour and I looked out of the window desperately hoping that the sound didn't attract anything.

"I'm so sorry Quinn," she said rushing over to give me a hug.

I wrap my arms around her pulling her closer to me, "it's ok. I was just a little on edge."

"Quinn what happened?" She asked me quietly.

"Well I was watching one of the undead and then it looked at me and…." I began turning to look out the window again.

"No not that," she said, cutting me off. I looked back around at her, "back home when it all started."

I have never spoken about what happened in Lima, Ohio when it all started. We all knew what happened, we all experienced it and never felt the need to discuss it. We would bring up parts of it when we were trying to figure out a plan. We would say "remember what happened when we did that last time," one of us would say but not speaking anymore of it. I was worried that if I opened that bag of worms there would be no going back. I put all those memories behind me to keep me sane. To keep me strong.

However Rachel had the right to know, after all it was her family and friends too. Even if it was hard for me I would try… for her.

"Please?" she asked.

I nodded.

"I was going back to Lima for my holidays, my exams had finished early and I was packed and ready to go," I began

-Flashback-

_I ran through my apartment doing one finally sweep making sure I had everything before I left for home. _

"_Yes mum," I say into my phone, "I'm just about to leave, just making sure I have anything, I will see you soon."_

_The television was playing in the background talking about some virus that has been released that was killing people. I didn't think much of it because how many times have we been told that there was some killer virus on the loose._

_I switch it off as walk past and pick my keys. I look around the room not knowing it was the last time I would see it._

_It was late when I got home and mum ran out of the house and wrapped her arms around me._

"_I've missed you so much Quinny" she said squeezing me tight._

"_I missed you too Mum" I laughed hugging her back. _

_She helped me take my things inside and unpack._

"_I'm glad you decided to come home for the holidays," she told me as we climbed the stairs to my room._

"_Yeah, I am too. I've missed everyone so much" I replied smiling._

_Yale was amazing, better than I could ever imagined but I missed everyone so much. We all talk online and ring each other regularly but it just wasn't the same. Everyone would be back here in Lima for the holidays, all except Rachel, she had rehearsals and she just couldn't get away, but she said that she would organise for me to visit her after I return._

_After speaking to Mum about Yale over eating dinner she had made for me, I had a shower and then jumped into bed. It was the best feeling being back in my own bed in my own house._

_I got woken by someone jumping onto my bed._

"_Wake up Quinn!" _

_I would recognise that voice anywhere. Santana._

"_Yeah Quinn get up, you can sleep when you are dead," And Brittany. _

_I lay there for a moment motionless until they both stopped moving, then I pulled out the pillow from under my head and pounded them with it. We ended up in fits of giggles hugging._

"_I've miss you guys so much," I tell them._

"_Yeah, yeah, yeah time for the I missed yous and reunion shit later," she told me, "hurry up and get ready, we are meeting everyone for breakfast."_

_Santana hadn't changed a bit, she is still the crazy Latina that if you get on her bad side she will go all Lima Heights Adjacent on your ass that I've missed so much. _

_She smiled and grabbed her girlfriend's hand and left the room._

"_Be quick," I hear Brit call from the stairs._

_I quickly run to my suit case and pull out my yellow sundress and threw it on. I then ran to the washroom and washed my face, brushed my teeth and did my hair. Then quickly ran down stairs to find Santana and Brittney sitting in my living room._

"_Come on Q," she smiled, "Everyone is waiting outside."_

_I get dragged by my arms by both girls out of the door. _

"_QUINN!" Everyone yells as they run up and hug me._

_It took FOREVER to say hi to everyone, I don't know what people must have thought as they drove past. I got told that we were meeting with Blaine and Kurt later and Mike and Tina were meeting us at the restaurant. It took a while but we finally got into our cars and went to breakfast._

_Breakfast went to nearly noon and then they all fought over who was going to pay for me. We talked about what we were all doing and where we were. We all talked about how much we missed Glee club and how it just wasn't the same anymore but that was all a part of growing up. We left the restaurant after we paid and then we walked to the park where we met Kurt and Blaine. This reunion took another few hours._

_By the time I was able to talk to everyone the sun was setting and everyone began to head home. Soon enough it was just Puck and I left._

"_Can I walk you home?" he asked._

"_Sure," I reply._

"_Do you miss home Quinn?" he starts as we begin to walk._

"_Yeah, I do a lot. It was hard at first but it gets easier," I tell him, "why are you worried about moving away?"_

"_I am a little bit, what happens if we all lose contact or something?"_

"_Well Puck we can only try our best I guess." I tell him with a smile and a small squeeze of his arm._

"_Have you visited Rachel in New York?"_

"_No, I haven't had the chance. We both have been very busy," I paused, "I never would have thought I would miss Berry as much as I do."_

_We both laugh._

_Puck and I continue to ask each other questions until we reached my house and he walked me up to my door. _

"_Thanks for walking me home Puck," I smile._

"_No problem Fabray," He smiles back, "See you around."_

"_Defiantly," I nod._

_I'm still smiling as I walk inside. I put my keys down on the table and see a note from mum _

Quinn,

Gone out for dinner with the girls, there is money on the counter for pizza.

I shouldn't be home to late.

Mum

Oxox

_Good ol' Mum. I walk over to the counter and put the money in my back pocket then dial the number for the pizza shop. I ordered myself a medium barbeque meat lovers and a coke. The total came to 23 dollars and would be about half an hour._

_I walk up to my room and change out of my dress and into my sweats and a shirt, then heading back down to plonk myself on the couch. I turned on the television to find that Funny Girl was on, this made me think of Rachel and before I knew what I was doing I had my phone out and was messaging her._

**Hey Rach, Im back in Lima and caught up with everyone today, they said they wish you could be here too :) – Q x**

_I place the phone on the coffee table and go to the kitchen and get myself a drink to tie me over until the pizza got here. I find my phone flashing with a message when I come back._

_It was from Rachel_

**Hello Quinn, Yes I wish I could be there too, I've been working hard rehearsing. Tell them all I miss them so much and hope to see them very soon. x – Rachel**

_I smiled she even sounded like her in the way she texts. I didn't want the messaging to stop so I quickly thought of another._

**Funny Girl is on T.V, it made me think of you. – Q **

_Again in no time at all my phone lights up telling me I have a message._

**That's sweet Quinn :) that does happen to be my favourite musical. –Rachel**

_I laughed to myself, however before I could reply the doorbell rang. It was the pizza guy, I paid him and went back to the couch. After I sat I picked up my phone to reply when I saw I had another message._

_It was from Kurt._

Graduated Glee Clubbers, we are all going back to McKinley tomorrow to say hello to everyone and see how our dear club is doing. Meet there at 10am. – Kurt

_I replied straight away._

Ok. See ya then. – Q

_I spent the rest of the evening texting Rachel, eating pizza and watching Funny Girl. When the movie finished I said goodnight to Rachel and jumped into bed where I fell asleep almost instantly._

_We met at the school at the time Kurt told us to and walked in together. It felt so natural walking down the hallways, like it used to be. We walked straight to the choir room where we heard Mr Shue giving the assignment for the week. It didn't take long for the Glee Clubbers to notice us standing there in the door and began to cheer for us. _

_We sat there and listened to the plans they had for sectionals and helped by giving some of our ideas, we couldn't let them lose, especially after last year. _

_We laughed, some of us cried and we sang and it felt good to back amongst good friends and in a familiar place._

"_Hey Sugar," I smile as she walks into the choir room, "where've you been?" _

_She didn't reply. That was odd._

"_Sugar?" I call._

_She stood there with her eyes close and head tilted a little to the side. She stumbled forward, hands dangling at her side._

_What the hell?_

"_Sugar stop playing around," Artie tells her as he rolls towards her._

_Suddenly Sugar snaps open her eyes to look straight at him. Her eyes didn't look right, almost blank, unfocused. Before anyone could react she had closed the gap between them and sunk her teeth into his neck. Blood poured from his throat, a gargling scream escaping his mouth._

_Puck runs over to them and grabs Sugar off the bleeding boy, she snaps at him, face covered in blood. He flings her across the room before she could bite him and she hits the door frame. She stumbles back up to her feet and lunges back towards Puck._

"Get an ambulance," I hear Blaine yell holding his hand to Artie's neck.

_We hear screams coming from the hall, everything was happening so fast. But what was happening? I look over at Blaine trying to help Artie, Kurt was on the phone to emergency, and I could hear wide spread panic throughout the school. _

_I hear yells and growls and turn to Puck and Sugar. He was struggling, I'd never seen him struggle in a fight. Picking up a chair I rush over and slammed it into her, hoping it would knock her out for now, she needed help._

"_What the hell is going on?" Mercedes cried._

"_What do you mean you have no Ambulances?" Kurt yelled into the phone, "Where the hell are they?"_

_I look to Artie and he lays there on the floor coughing up blood, Blaine still by his side, one hand on his neck still trying to stop the blood, the other holding onto his hand._

"_You're going to be fine," he told him, tears running down his cheeks, "just hold on." _

_Puck is still standing over Sugar's body making sure she wasn't going to get back up and mutilate someone else. Santana had Brittney in her arms, stroking her hair. Tina was in tears and had a tight grip on Mike._

"_We need to leave the school," I finally say._

"_Leave? I think it's best if we all stay here." Finn piped in._

"_Are you not listening, seeing what is going on?" I say back to him, "People are being killed here. Look at Artie, look at Sugar."_

"_You are the one that killed Sugar," He yelled at me._

"_Did you want her to kill someone else Finn?" I yell back at him, "That wasn't Sugar, I don't know what that was, but that defiantly wasn't her."_

_He didn't get a chance to reply because Artie began to take short breaths and Blaine called out "Guys."_

_We all turned and saw Artie take his last breath. His last moments were listening to us arguing with each other._

_Blaine closed his eyes and stood up and looked at his hands, covered in blood. No one was moving, so I walked over and placed my hand on Blaine's shoulder. I saw tears running from his eyes, down his cheeks, I struggled to keep the tears back but it was too hard and they began to leak out of my eyes. I guided Blaine over to the seats and used tissues and began to clean the blood off his hands. _

"_Guys," Mercedes called, "Artie isn't dead, he is moving."_

"_Do NOT go near him," I tell her, "stay where you are."_

"_What are you talking about? He needs help," she snapped back._

"_That isn't Artie," I said again walking over to her._

"_What do you know?" she said pushing me out of the way._

_What is it with people and not listening to me today?_

_Sure enough, a few seconds after Mercedes had bent over to see if he was ok, he rolled over and sunk his teeth into her arm. _

"_MERCEDES!" I screamed at her "I told you to stay back."_

_What happened next happened so fast it was a blur. We all managed to get out of the school, seeing students trying to eat each other, biting, snapping. I had a bad feeling taking Mercedes with us but she seemed fine, it was just a minor wound. _

_We all ended up back at my place, with the television on finding out what has happened._

_The news stations were all fuzzy, the reporters not at their desks, the cameras tilted but still rolling, still broadcasting. Columbus, Washington, New York, no matter what station we flicked to it was the same. Until suddenly an Emergency Broadcast took over, channels went out like lights, taken over by a red screen and then suddenly, a man's face. _

_He looked panicked, shaking, sweat was beading at his forehead as he set the camera up correctly. I recognised him, he was the guy on the TV reporting about the killer virus before I left Yale. No. That can't be it, it was just a joke right?_

_"Citizens of the United States of America, if you are watching this you are safe. You have time. Precious time that others lack. 2 weeks ago the CDC was informed of a virus that was causing intense fevers and bleed outs, slowly resulting in death. 78 hours ago, we were informed the virus had mutated. The current virus, dubbed the "Z Virus" by internet fanatics, is on the loose. Transmission is through drinking tainted water sources or through direct physical contact with an infected host. Infected hosts will bite and ravage the uninfected, if bitten you're considered an infected host. These creatures are hostile, unforfiving, they are no longer considered sentient, no longer your friends or family. Survival is now our main concern. The CDC will report any further findings on all available TV and Radio channels."_

_We all looked at each other and just sat there in silence._

-End Flashback-

I looked up at Rachel, she released one of my hands to wipe the tears off my cheek, crying herself. I didn't realise I was crying, I didn't know that it all affected me the way it had.

The sun was just coming up when Puck began to stir, he rolled over and looked at us. He didn't ask us what was wrong, I think he knew and just didn't want to bring it up.

"We can't stay here much longer," he told us.

"Can you ride?" I asked concerned.

"I'll be fine," he smiled, "we just need a way out."

That would be a problem, we cancelled all communications with home base, so we were on our own.

"I can guide you out," Rachel suddenly said.

We both looked at her. Of course she could she lives here.

"How many ways out do you know?" Puck asked her.

"All of them," She said proudly.

"You are a life saver," I say squeezing her hands.

"Let's get ready" Puck told us.

We all stood up and looked out the window to the street below, soon we would be back out there, out there… with them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **_I own nothing._

**Author's Note: **_A big thanks to everyone, all the positive feedback has made me want to write faster and give you the next chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter, there is another flashback and more Faberry fluff._

It took us all morning to prepare. We needed to work out which way we were going, and if we couldn't, what another way was. Rachel tried her best to explain the routes to us, but it was just too complicated so it was decided that Rachel would double with me and guide me out, Puck would follow behind.

While we were in the kitchen Puck removed one of the boards to let some light in. We found a backpack that was left in one of the rooms and decided to fill it with the food Rachel had collected, she did go to the hard work of finding it after all.

Rachel looked a lot better after having a decent amount of sleep. I couldn't help but sneaking peeks at her while we were filling up the bags. She was beautiful, even with her hair a mess and being covered in dirt. I think I stared at her a little too long because she caught me and I looked away feeling the blood rush to my cheeks.

_Get with it Fabray _I thought to myself, you shouldn't be blushing, you were just checking to see if she was okay, yeah that's it, checking to see if she was okay.

"Quinn," she said smiling, "Why do you keep staring at me?"

Shit she caught me.

"Because ah, I… um," Spit it out, "I'm just checking to make sure you're okay, that's all."

"I'm fine really," She said filling up the bag with chips, "I've been looking after myself for over a year. But thanks for your concern."

I smiled and nodded and continued to fill up my bag, still peeking at her every now and then, and seeing a smile reach her lips when she knows I'm looking, but she doesn't say anything again.

To stop myself looking at her I decided to leave her to pack the food while I cleaned my guns. I went upstairs while Puck and Rachel stayed in the kitchen. It didn't take terribly long to clean them all, but long enough to get lost in my thoughts.

What must it have been like for Rachel? Here on her own, at least we all have each other. She should have been there with us, or I should have been here for her.

-Flashback-

_It wasn't long before Mercedes started showing what had to be symptoms. She began to develop a headache, a fever and chills. We put her in the spare room, and tried to reduce the fever. Nothing worked. Mike tried ringing the doctor with no luck, and the same again with the hospital._

_I was scared I didn't know what was going on. The world seemed to be turning to shit right before our eyes. I felt sick, we had already lost Artie and Sugar, and I couldn't lose anyone else. I just wanted to sit down and cry, to hide somewhere and not come out. Something inside me said I couldn't do that, it told me I needed to be strong._

_A few hours later Mercedes pulse slowed and her breathing became shallow. The wound on her arm where Sugar had bitten her was rotting, her eyes glazed over. Someone was always with her, looking after her, while the rest of us sat in silence in the living room waiting - we all knew what for, but none wanted to voice the fact our friend was going to die. _

_Joe, Santana and Puck decided to venture out to find medicine for Mercedes despite my better judgement. They said they would be fine and they would be back soon, and I watched them walk out the door. _

_I heard cries of pain from the spare bedroom. Poor Mercedes, I wish I could something more for her, but what else was there to do? I look over at Kurt and Blaine; they were wrapped up in each other's arms speaking quietly. Blaine kept rubbing his hands, looking like he was still trying to get his friend's blood off, Kurt constantly grabbing for them trying to calm him down._

_Mike and Tina were in the kitchen whispering loudly; sounded like it was an argument of some kind, I didn't interrupt. _

_I pulled out my phone and dialled Mum's number._

"_Hello," I hear come though the phone and sigh in relief._

"_Mum, you have to come home now, something bad is happening and I'm scared." I say between sobs._

"_There is nothing to worry about Quinny," She said calmly, "Calm down."_

"_But there is," I cry to her, "people are dying, eating each other."_

_I am now crying, the tears streaming out of my eyes and down my cheeks._

"_Stop being silly, the government will fix everything," she told me._

"_I need you Mum, please come home," I beg falling to my knees._

"_I will be home tonight for dinner Quinn," _

"_But Mum, please… I can't do this without you," I cry, "I love you so much, just know that."_

"_I do know that honey," She replies, "and I love you too, more than anything in this world. I will see you tonight, bye Quinny."_

_The phone clicks when she hangs up and I drop to the floor crying as hard as I could, not caring who heard me._

_Eventually, Brittney finds her way to me and takes me back to the living room encasing me in her arms as we sit on the couch. _

_It had been a few hours and Joe, Puck and Santana still were not back, and we were starting to get worried. Sam came out with tears flowing down his cheeks, he spoke quietly in between small sobs; Mercedes had finally succumb to the pain and fallen unconscious, become unresponsive, her breathing nearly non-existent. _

_I climbed out of Brittney's arms and went and wrapped mine around Sam._

"_I'm sorry," I whisper to him in between sobs._

"_Me too," he cried, "I wish there was something I could do to help."_

_I didn't want to tell him I had a feeling that there was no way we could help; there was no cure for what Mercedes had contracted. The only way out was death. _

"_So do I Sam," I say releasing him, "all we can do is hope that the others get back soon."_

_He nods at me "I hope they do."_

_I slowly walk into Mercedes room; she lay motionless apart from her erratic breathing patterns and I sit on the chair next to the bed. _

"_I'm sorry Mercedes," I say, "I should have tried harder to stop you, and then none of this would have happened. "_

_I paused and took her hand, it was cold and quite firm. I began to cry again, so much was happening at once and I couldn't handle it. I did need my Mum more than anything. I was still young I didn't know what to make of all this, what to do. I had lost 3 of my friends and I just wanted her to hold me and tell me it was going to be ok. _

_I heard the front door open and rapid speaking, I lay Mercedes hand down softly closing the door behind me as I left. When I enter the living room I see Puck and Santana standing there, sweating, out of breath, without Joe. Wait… where's Joe?_

"_There are so many of those things out there," Puck panted. _

"_What they hell happened?" Mike asked entering the room._

"_We tried getting to the pharmacy, there was no chance," Santana told us, "there is mass panic, those things, whatever they are, are killing people and then… eating them."_

"_We ended up having to hide," Puck continued, "we stayed there for a while, but then one saw us so I picked up a nearby shovel and smacked it in the head dropping it. I don't think it got up but we weren't sticking around to find out."_

"_Joe fell and twisted his ankle or something, he tried to get back up but he couldn't move fast and kept falling down," Santana said looking at her hands, "he fell again and then one of those things came out of nowhere and bit him again and again, and then another showed up and started on him as well."_

_Santana began to cry, it's not often you see her cry. She tries to be strong and makes herself out to be, but deep down she is hurting just as much as the rest of us._

"_There was no way we could have helped him, there was too many of them," Puck sobbed, "we had to leave him and run, otherwise would be the same right now."_

_The whole group was crying at their story, another one lost. How many more were going to go? I look at my friends and see my fear was mimicked in their expressions, in how they were gripping each other. A huge bang suddenly erupts from the spare bedroom, we all look at each other and run towards it._

"_What the hell was that?" Santana asked. _

"_Mercedes?" Sam called walking towards the door, "Mercedes are you ok?"_

"_SAM EVANS," I yell, "you fucking stay back or so help me I will rip you apart myself."_

_He turns and looks at me and I give him a look that made him step back._

"_She's right," Blaine steps in, "remember what happened when Mercedes didn't listen."_

"_But what if she needs help?" Sam asked, tears returning to his eyes._

_I turned and stalked away from the group and found my way to my father's old office, and in the top draw in the secret compartment was a gun. I knew this because I was looking for something one day and came across it. I reached into the draw and pulled it out along with bullets and loaded them putting the other rounds in my pocket. I turn the safety off and then go back to the rest of the group._

_As I return the group have moved closer to the door, the only ones who were still standing back were Blaine, Puck and Santana. The rest were arguing over whether they should open the door or not, the more they argued the louder the growls and banging got from within. _

_I watched Sam open the door, and as if in slow motion Mercedes dived out towards everyone, they all screamed and fell backwards onto the floor. I raised the gun and pointed it at Mercedes' head and fired it, watching the bullet slam into her forehead splattering the walls and the people in front of her. I watched as she slowly fell to the ground in front of me, my eyes wide in hear, the gun still held out in front of me. _

-End Flashback-

"Quinn," Rachel spoke snapping me out of my head, "Quinn put the gun down."

I look at her my eyes wide, brimming with tears, gun pointed towards her. I heard what she said I just didn't understand. She took slow steps towards me and carefully took the gun out of my hand and placed it on the table not breaking our eye contact, and then wrapped her arms around me pulling me in as close as she could. I felt myself calm instantly and begin to relax but I didn't let her go, I never wanted to let her go again. I turned my face into her neck trying to block out the world and she hugged me tighter.

"What happened?" she asked not letting me go.

"They didn't believe me," I cried into her neck, "they should have listened and it would have been ok."

"I don't understand Quinn," She replied stroking my hair.

She waited patiently until I was calm enough to explain and then I began to tell her all about Mercedes, Joe and my mother. I told her everything down to how I was feeling and I swore that I would bury all those feelings and never let them surface again, it was just too hard. But here I was telling Rachel about it, I almost feel normal around her, like things aren't so hard anymore. I sit up out of her arms and looked at her, she was crying, those beautiful brown orbs filled with tears that leaked down onto her cheek. I lifted my hand and brushed one of them away with my thumb cupping her face a second longer than was necessary.

"That was the last I heard from my Mum," I tell her removing my hand from her cheek, "We waited until the next morning to leave but she still didn't come home."

She didn't say anything, instead she wrapped me in her arms again. We stayed like that for a few seconds before she spoke, "I don't mean to tell you this now, but Puck needs to talk to you about leaving."

I pulled away from her and wiped the tears from my eyes and nodded. She gave me that amazing Rachel Berry hundred watt smile then took my hand and led me back down to the kitchen.

It was decided we would leave mid-afternoon, head for Morristown, back to the house. It wouldn't take us long providing we didn't run into the main undead horde of New York. If we did well... we'd have to turn around, find a place to hide for the night and then start again first thing it was clear. But our first challenged was getting to our bikes without being seen or heard.

It was Rachel who came up with the idea to bring the bikes inside to start, and because it was a double door at the front we could open both as we leave and just drive out. Man I loved the way that girl thought, and her smile was radiant. Focus Quinn, we need to get out of here alive.

Puck made a quick dash up stairs and peeked out the window to find the street mostly clear of the undead, only a few towards the crossroads of the main road.

I swallowed hard as I stood at the double doors that had been cleared of the furniture waiting to go back out and face the end of the world to get our bikes, we needed to be quick and we needed to be quiet.

"Good luck," Rachel said standing on her toes to kiss my cheek.

This was not a good time for Rachel Berry to be distracting me.

"Thanks," I nod giving her hand a small squeeze.

I look over to Puck, "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," he replied.

Rachel opened the doors and Puck and I ran out into the light. I heard Rachel close the doors behind us and we ran to our bikes staying low. I picked up my helmet off the ground as I reached my bike and put it over my handle bars. I looked over at Puck and he was looking up and down the street, he looked over at me and pointed to his ear. I smiled. There was no noise today, no growling and no shuffling. I quickly lifted the kick stand and followed Puck back into NYADA pushing my bike, Rachel closing the doors behind us. I sighed in relief, even though there was nothing out there my senses were on high alert.

Puck and I both opened up our seats and put the supplies in, I pulled out a pair of sunglasses and a bandana and sat them on the counter next to me.

"Puck you are going to have to take the backpack because I will have Rachel," I told him handing him the backpack.

"No problem," he replied taking it from me and throwing it over his shoulders.

"Rach," I said turning to face her.

"Yes Quinn?" She replied with a smile.

"I want you to wear this," I told her handing her my helmet.

"No I can't," she objected, "What about you?"

"Please take the helmet I will be fine," I insisted.

She gave me a concerned look , I just rolled my eyes and stepped forward and placed the helmet firmly on her head and did it up.

"How do I look?" she asks me holding her arms out.

"You look great," I laugh turning her around towards the bike.

"What are you going to do Quinn," Puck asked, "You can't go out there without any protection."

"I've got it covered," I smile holding up the sunglasses and bandana.

I wrapped the bandanna firmly over my nose and mouth making sure it wouldn't fall off, before grabbing my sunglasses and putting them over my eyes.

I jumped onto my bike and kick started it, reaching for Rachel's hand to help her climb on. I flick round turn around and flick down the visor on her helmet and turn to Puck, nod and face the door. Pucks quickly opens the door and kicks starts his own bike, I feel Rachel wrap her arms around my waist as tightly as she could, hugging herself to me sending sparks through my entire body. I pull out NYADA and back into the maze of New York pulling the sunglasses over my eyes.

The afternoon sun shone down on us as we rode through the city. So far no undead and no problems, we were heading out of the city on the side that was closest to home base. Of course that wasn't going to happen. Rachel had led us down a street that was blocked with no way of getting around it. In her defence she wouldn't have known, but straight away she came up with a new route.

"Turn around and then turn left at the next street," she told me, still grasping me tight.

I followed her instructions but that also lead up to a dead end. This happened another two times and Rachel began to get frustrated. She led us back into the city to get away from this part, seems like someone was trying to keep people out… or the undead in.

Getting out of New York was taking longer than we thought coming up against road blocks and the undead. However Rachel never failing to find another way out. She had begun to relax and was now only holding onto my waist, but that small touch was sending me crazy.

_What's wrong with you Fabray? You should not be getting reactions like this towards Rachel_, I thought to myself.

Yes she was beautiful, I had always known that, and she cared a lot. Maybe that was it, the feeling that someone finally cared and was showing it, was making me feel good. That had to be it… right?

Rachel told me to turn at the next right and I did, I'd got too complacent as we rode around and wasn't expecting that there would be a monstrous wall of undead waiting for us when we turned the corner. I tried to brake and turn around but because of the extra weight it threw us both from the bike and onto the road. Puck had followed us into the street but was able to turn around and was stopped and had his gun ready. I jumped to my feet, feeling dizzy and picked up my glasses and put the back on. Rachel had landed closer to the army of infected and they were closing in. I ran over to her and helped her up.

"Come on Rach," I said pulling her towards the bike.

"Quinn are you ok?" She asked.

Why was she asking about me I was fine, she was the one that went flying and couldn't walk properly. She was limping and her jeans were ripped and both knees were bleeding.

"I'm fine," I tell her standing the bike back up, "are your legs ok? I'm so sorry."

I jumped on the bike and tried to start it… nothing. I tried it again… still nothing. Fuck this not now, I need to save Rachel. I could see the undead getting closer by the second, dying to sink their teeth into us. I began to get scared. I wiped my forehead to find that it was covered in blood, great, that must have been what Rachel was talking about.

"Quinn they are getting closer," Rachel says very calming.

With one final kick I got the bike to start. I pulled the bandana away and rolled it up and tied it around the wound on my head, I didn't know how bad it was but I needed to stop the bleeding. Rachel jumped back on the bike and held onto me as we followed Puck out of the street just as the infected reached us.

I felt so bad, I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings, not to how great it felt to have Rachel's hands on my waist. Now we were both hurt and most likely my bike was fucked, the right review mirror was hanging off and the handle bars felt touchy, no doubt there was a massive scratch down the side. I just hoped it would get us out.

Rachel gave me a direct route north out of the main part of the city, our base camp was to the west, but that was ok at least we were out of the city. By the time we were out of the city the sun had set and I had a splitting head ache. Puck went on ahead looking for a house that was safe to sleep in, I had slowed down because of the pain in my head, I couldn't imagine what Rachel much be feeling. Puck turned up not long after and told us about a place he found.

When we arrived we parked our bikes around the back of the house and climbed through the window Puck has just smashed open, all the doors were locked. Puck turned his flashlight on and scanned the area, there was no one down stairs and the house was nearly empty, but I didn't expect anything different. However up stairs looked like it hadn't been touched, of course all the draws were empty along with the cupboards but there beds where still there in both rooms. Looking at the bed caused me feel even more exhausted than I already was.

"Quinn. You sleep tonight I will stay on watch," Puck told me and pointed to the bed.

I just nodded and walked towards the bed. Rachel followed me in and closed the door behind her, she walked over and helped me get out of my jacket and she hung it neatly on the end on my bed.

"Sit there, and don't move," she told me and ran from the room.

"Ok," I replied.

I sat in the dark room waiting for her return and I just wanted to close my eyes, but soon enough she came bounding back through the door holding a bottle of water and a cloth. She carefully pulled off the bandana and tossed it aside, I watched her pour the water onto the cloth where she began to dab it on my head. It hurt like a bitch and I just wanted to push her hand away, but I didn't, I let her finish fussing over me then I climbed into bed.

"I'm sorry we crashed," I whispered looking up at her.

"It's ok Quinn," she replied rubbing my hair and my cheek, "now go to sleep and I'll be here when you wake up."

I smiled and nodded in agreement, I didn't want her to leave, and before I knew it I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing… I wish I did ;)

**Author's Note: **Sorry about how long it took me to upload this. I've just finished uni for the semester and travelled home. I also went to a concert so that took time away from writing too. I hope you like this chapter as much as you loved the rest. I feel so thrilled with the feedback that I'm getting from you all.

I awoke the next morning feeling well rested with only a small headache and a few stiff muscles from the day before. With my eyes still closed I began to stretch but I couldn't move one of my arms. I opened my eyes to find Rachel snuggled in next to me, arm sprawled over my waist and her legs intertwined with mine, her head resting against my shoulder with a strand of hair falling across her face. Man she was beautiful, it feels like I have never really looked at her before, I've seen her but never _really _seen her. Her wondrous hair flowing down her face and her shoulders, her smooth cheeks that were slightly pink, and her succulent lips that were parted slightly as she slept. Hang on a minute, maybe I was feeling something for Rachel Berry, maybe it wasn't me making sure she was okay or her looking after me; then again that could be part of it couldn't it? I reached over with my free arm and slowly moved the strand of hair from her face and just looked at her. When she began to stir I don't know why but I shut my eyes. I felt her move a little and then she was still. I pretended I was just waking up and opened my eyes slowly.

"Morning," I say sluggishly.

Still leaning against my shoulder she just looked at me, at her arm draped across my waist and then down to our legs. She was still for another second and then began to try and move away.

"Quinn, I am so sorry. I must have fallen asleep and then got cold and snuggled in, I didn't mean for us to end up wrapped up like this, I am so embarrassed," She began to ramble.

Ignoring what she said I scooped her up in my arms and gave her the biggest hug, "I'm so glad we found you Rach, I was worried that something terrible had happened to you."

She stopped wriggling and looked at me, our faces very close and I just smiled softy at her.

"I'm glad you found me too Quinn," she replied, her hands finding my waist and pulling me closer, "I didn't know how much longer I would have lasted after they all abandoned me."

She lowered her gaze from mine but her eyes stayed dry. This surprised me because she just told me she was abandoned. How could someone do that? No matter what hardships our group went through we would never leave anyone behind, well unless they were a zombie or becoming one, we still wouldn't leave them behind, we put them out of their suffering.

"What?" I asked, "What do you mean?"

She didn't look at me, instead she climbed out of my arms and sat on the edge of the bed looking at her hands.

"Rachel." I said firmly, "What do you mean they abandoned you?"

"It doesn't matter Quinn," she replied getting off the bed and heading for the door, "You have more pressing matters to worry about."

I dove out of bed and stood between her and the door and made her look me in the eye by gently tilting up her chin.

"It does matter Rachel," I say quietly, "because you matter."

Neither of us said another word, we just stood there, staring at each other, my hand still under her chin. I desperately wanted to know what she was thinking, her eyes never swaying from mine, a slight smile reaching her lips. Her lips distracted me more often than not lately and I couldn't understand why.

No. I was straight; I couldn't be feeling like this about another girl. I needed to snap out of it before it got out of hand. I like boys, I've only ever dated boys, and I wouldn't even know where to start with a girl and I wasn't ever going to find out.

A sudden rap at the door brought me out of the war in my head. It was Puck; he had come to check on us, to see how we were feeling.

"Morning ladies," He said smiling, "how are you feeling after yesterday?"

I had forgotten all about my head, there was no throb which was a good sign. I lifted up my hand and touched it, it was still quite tender but there was no more bleeding, I just hope we can get back before any infection starts.

"My head feels fine," I say back, and then look to Rachel's knees, "are you okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine," she said smiling, "nothing more than a scratch."

I had seen she was still limping a bit but I didn't press the matter.

The night had been quite, not one undead in sight. However staying in one place too long wasn't the best idea so we had to get moving pretty quick but there were two problems with that.

One. It had begun to rain over night and it was now a fully blown storm. Rain, rain and more rain.

Two. My motorbike also died a horrible death overnight and there was no way we were riding that and also Puck was running dangerously low on fuel, so we needed to find an alternative.

I decided that it was best if I didn't get so up close and personal with Rachel anymore, it wasn't good for my state of mind, no more snuggling, no more gazing into each other's eyes and NO more thinking that she was attractive. I was NOT into girls.

While Rachel and I were sleeping Puck managed to get all the supplies out of the bikes and into the house and sorted out what was essential to take and what wasn't, because by the way things were headed we would be walking some of our trip back. I didn't like this idea much because of the rain, but we had no other choice.

We searched around the house for something would protect us from the rain.

"Found anything?" I called to my friends.

"Nope, nothing here," Puck replied.

"No nothing here either," Rachel called back.

"Looks like we will be going out in the rain with what we have got," I sighed.

"The rain doesn't stop the undead, so it can't stop us either," Puck stated.

He was right and I knew it, I just didn't want to go out there and become soaked to the bone, not to mention cold.

"So I suppose we better get ready to go," I sigh.

The other two nodded and began to pick up the things we decided to take, most of it was food, and we didn't know how long we were going to be out there for. I lift up the bag and throw it over my shoulder, it was heavy but nothing I couldn't handle.

I look up and catch Rachel staring at me; she smiles and then turns away.

"You know you will tell me what happened Rachel," I say to her making her look back at me, "when they abandoned you."

"I told you Quinn," she replied calmly, "It wasn't a big deal, I'm ok really."

Before I could give my rebuttal Puck walked back into the room. I didn't want him to know what Rachel had told me, it wasn't my place to say. I just looked back to Rachel and shrugged, then turned to Puck.

"The rain has eased up a little bit, but it's still pretty heavy," he told us.

"Well, there's no time like the present," I say to them as I head for the door.

Rachel quickly appeared behind me, and then Puck. I opened the front door and stepped out into the rain.

It was cold at first, but as we walked I began to get used to it. The rain was heavy and we had to strain our eyes to see down the road and try to look out for anything or anyone.

We can't walk all the way back," I say to Puck, "It would take us too long, and what if the horde caught up with us?"

"Yeah, I know," he replied, "There isn't much we can do now though. I doubt any of these cars could start even if we did have the key."

We kept walking at a steady pace down the middle of the street; I bet this was a nice street, beautiful houses, clean lawns, happy neighbours, but now it was dark, and wet, cars over turned on the front laws, through fences. There were quite a few cars along the streets, some with the decaying corpses still laying inside. That was one of the few things that made me uneasy. Where they really dead or were they going to run at us at any second. I released my pistol from its holster and kept it at the ready, you could never be too safe around these things.

"Puck. What is the first thing you are going to do when we get back." I ask him.

"Hmmm," he thought, "I'm torn."

"Between what?" I reply smiling.

"Between… having a shower or… eating something that Kurt has cooked," he laughed.

I laughed, "You and your food."

"Kurt is there?" Rachel suddenly spoke.

"Yeah he is, well he was when we left." I say to her.

Her face lit up so bright it could almost light up the whole street. Kurt and Rachel were very close and knowing he is still alive gave her hope, just like knowing Rachel was alive made me giddy with happiness.

"What about you Quinn?" Puck asked me, "What are you looking forward to most when we get back there?"

"My own bed definitely," I say back, "however a good bowl of soup is sounding amazing."

Puck laughed.

It felt good to be having a normal conversation for once, we hardly ever get the chance, there is always something that needs to be done and we go straight into mission mode and all we talk about is the undead and guns and this and that, never something normal like food.

Puck and I have gotten so close since this started. We were the scouts and spent nearly all our time talking about routes to take and where and where not to go. Everyone knew how the undead acted and what they were like, but Puck and I went up against them on a weekly basis, we may have had that pact to leave if the other was in trouble, but we never followed it. We always went back for each other, sometimes it caused more shit than it was worth, but I couldn't leave him behind.

I didn't know how long we had been walking for and everything was starting to look the same. Tree, car, broken fence, car, tree, bicycle, broken tree, car, dead body, car. It was beginning to get cold and I was soaked to the bone, the wind had picked up and turned the drops into tiny bullets that stung when it hit you in the face. I tried shielding my eyes but I couldn't see where I was going and kept having to remove my hand.

"This is ridiculous," I shout over the rain and wind, "we aren't going to get anywhere fast in this. At best we are going to get sick."

"I know," Puck yelled back, "Do you want to try one of these houses?"

"Best idea ive heard all day," I smiled at him.

"Come one let's try this one," Puck told us pointing to a light green house.

I grabbed Rachel by the wrist and led her towards the house, however she didn't seem to like that idea and held my hand instead, I didn't pull away. Puck kicked in the door and waited for us to get inside before he closed it. I released Rachel's hand the moment we entered the house, her face showed confusion. We were just friends no more; we don't need to stay holding hands.

We did a quick sweep of the house; it was abandoned just like the rest, but with one small difference. The house was still filled with clothes and furniture, which the other houses surly lacked.

"Puck!" I yelled, "There are dry clothes here!"

"Really?" he replied, "I wonder why they didn't take them or they haven't been looted."

"I don't know," I shrug, "but who cares, we have dry clothes."

We all sifted through the draws until we all found something that would fit us, and looking in other cupboards found us some towels that we could use to dry off. In one of the bedrooms, I found black skinny leg jeans, a white singlet and leather jacket from the wardrobe and placed the clothes on the bed.

I had never been more excited to get into clothes as I was now. Warm, dry clothes, sure they had a strange smell that that was most likely from sitting in the draw untouched for however long.

I pulled off my shirt and then my bra and hung it on the end of the bed; I removed my pants and then underwear and did the same. I used the towel to dry myself of as best it could and the dropped the towel in a heap on the floor.

As the towel fell the door opened and Rachel walked in.

"Hey Quinn were you… Oh my goodness," She started before seeing me standing there in my glory, "I didn't know that you… I'm really sorry…. I just thought that."

She stood there stumbling on her words looking me up and down, blushing more and more every time. After she had finished trying to get her words out she just stood there looking at me, not moving and certainly not making eye contact.

"Like something you see?" I smiled lifting my arms out.

I saw Rachel's eyes widen and then her cheeks turn to scarlet before running from the room.

I couldn't help but giggle at how badly she stumbled on her words and red the small girl went after seeing my body. I suddenly had a thought. Why wasn't I embarrassed about her seeing me naked? I should have been so embarrassed that I was falling all over myself trying to cover myself. But instead I just stood there and made a flirty comment. _Do you like something you see? _Jeez Quinn really? Out of all the possible things you could have said, you said that. I slap my hand to my forehead and got dressed. I used the towel to dry my short blond hair and then hung the towel over the end of the bed with the rest of my wet clothes.

I walked back out into the living room and saw that Puck and Rachel were both changed and had collected what looked like all the blankets from the house and had them in a pile on the floor. When Rachel saw me she looked away immediately and blush a beautiful shade of red. _Great it's going to be awkward now._

"What's with all the blankets?" I asked them.

"It's cold," Puck told me stating the obvious, "It will just help us warm up again."

Both Puck and I knew we wouldn't be staying here long; we needed to keep moving, if we stopped every few hours we would never get to where we wanted to go. I went and plonked myself down on the couch next to Rachel. She put her hands together in her lap and still didn't look at me.

"Rachel…" I began.

"Quinn I am so sorry," she said cutting me off, "I didn't mean to walk in on you, I didn't know you were getting changed yet. However Quinn, you do have a fantastic body, well I already knew you would because you were on the Cheerios, but you really do."

I took her hand and held it in mine making her stop rambling.

"Rachel, it didn't bother me really," I smiled at her finally getting eye contact, "and thanks for the compliment."

I winked at her and she blushed again, she was so cute when she was embarrassed.

"Quinn!" I heard Puck yell.

I looked at Rachel and we both dived of the couch and ran to where Puck was calling from. We found ourselves in what looked like to be the garage. Puck appeared next to us holding a flashlight.

"What happened?" I asked worried.

"Nothing, but look what I found," He said as he turn the flashlight on.

It was a red two door Jeep Wrangler. These things could go anywhere, and take a small beating while they were at it. I looked over at Puck and he was smiling as much as I was.

"Can you start it?" I ask.

"I sure can," he smiled at me holding out the keys.

I nearly fell over. We never find a car that we can just pick up the keys and put it in the ignition, Puck always has to hotwire it.

I smiled at him and walked over to the car unlocked it and jumped in. He put the key in the ignition and looked at me as he turned it.

I stood there with my fingers crossed praying that it would start. The Jeep roared to life and I ran and threw my arms around a cheering Puck. I looked at the fuel gauge and saw that it was three quarters full. This was definitely our lucky day.

"Let's grab the stuff and go," Puck said, "I just want to get back."

"Yeah me too," I replied pulling Rachel into the hug, "besides, we need to tell everyone who we found."

It few days we had been away felt like months, they had been full of surprises both good and bad and we were constantly on the go, on high alert. It will be good to get back and not have to worry about things like that.

While Rachel and I were gathering up our things, Puck was opening the garage door and because there was no power to open it automatically he was having a hard time opening it. Rachel and I came out with the last load of things we were taking out to the car we saw that Puck had finally had opened it.

When we were ready to go Puck jumped into the driver's seat, I opened the back door behind the passenger seat and she jumped in, then I hopped in next to Puck.

"Are we all ready?" he asked doing up his seat belt.

"Sure are," I replied doing mine up as well following suit.

"Yes I'm ready," Rachel calls from the back seat.

Puck put it in gear and we drove off into the rain once more, this time staying dry and it was so much more relaxing then walking.

Having this car was a god send, when we encountered a road block we could just go off-road around it, push small objects out of the way with the bar. Having it made all this a lot easier.

There were a few undead here and there as we drove along but we were able to just drive straight past not having to worry. While the rain was heavy Puck accidently hit one and it sent blood splattering up the windscreen and along the windows, lucky the windows were up otherwise it could have ended badly still having a wound on my head. And we were lucky Puck was going slow enough in the rain to avoid crashing, that it didn't damage the car badly.

We have learnt over time that not only being bitten and scratched can turn you, but accidentally ingesting any of their bodily fluids, having a wound and being splattered with their blood can and will cause infection. It was something we had seen too many times before, and we learnt from others mistakes. When all the emergency broadcasts had stopped and the radios went silent, we had to rely on our instincts, what others had told us and what we had experienced first-hand.

Our group back at base were smart; we knew what and what not to do when it came to the undead and when coming in contact with the infection. Wearing face protection was a big yes when dealing with them and proper covered clothing. We had someone on watch 24/7, everyone had a turn and we worked in shifts giving people time to rest. I was glad that we could all work so well together and as a team, that was something we didn't forget from glee club.

It took less than an hour until we turned into our street and pulled into our driveway of our huge house, it was white with a black trim, very fancy. When everyone saw that it was us they ran down to the court and opened the massive metal gates and let us in. I turn back to look at Rachel, a smile on both our faces. We were home.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing

**Authors note: **sorry for the very very very late update. Ive been very busy but I made up for it my making this chapter a long one. I hope you like it there is a lot more Faberry. Keep reviewing, I love all the feedback it makes me smile so so much. love you all

Seeing everyone's faces made me smile, I was home, back to security and back to the only family I had left. I wondered what everyone would do when they saw Rachel; in shock like I was and just stand there a gape or crowd her devouring her with hugs. He second one made me scowl to myself, something inside me wants me and only me to be able to hug her and hold her in my arms. I didn't know where this jealousy was coming from, and it worried be a little bit. Everyone else had the right to hug her and have her attention, why was it that I wanted it all? She wasn't mine, but I wanted her to be, almost needed her to be. I was feeling almost possessive and I still didn't know why, I could have almost taken her a runaway so I didn't have to share her. I looked back at her smiling face as she saw everyone, the excitement was radiating off her and I knew I couldn't do that. I felt the car pull to a stop and Puck sigh, just like he always has when he arrives home. He looks at me and smiles as he is jumping out of the car. I smile back and undo my belt and climb from the car and was suddenly embraced by everyone, all talking at once, I could only pick out a few lines here and there.

"I'm so glad you made it back"

"How did you do it?"

"Nice car."

"Is your head ok…?"

I smile and try to reply back to everyone but I think it's a story that is better told later. I turn back to the car and see that Rachel is still sitting in the backseat. I smile at her through the window and open the door and hold out my hand.

"Come on," I whisper to her, "welcome home."

She gave me her hundred watt Rachel Berry smile and interlocked our fingers. This small gesture sent butterflies raging throughout my body. _What the?_ I heard gasps as she climbed from the car; I kept my eyes on her because I didn't want to know how they were reacting. I felt the grip on my hand tighten and decided to look at everyone. They were just standing there looking at her, trying to speak, looking to me and then to Puck and then back to Rachel. I knew what they were thinking, how on earth did those two manage to find Rachel Berry of all people, while getting chased by a massive horde of the infected. I asked myself the same question, I didn't have an answer then and I still don't have one now.

I watched the emotions on Finn's face as he looked at her, he then began to walk slowly forward towards us, his arms stretched out. He looked like one of the undead, I had to hold back a chuckle. Soon enough they all had snapped out of their trance and all began to run towards Rachel. They were pulling her every which way, but her hand never left mine. Everyone was trying to talk to her, hug her. Kurt and Finn were fighting each other for her attention, it looked like two children fighting for their mother's attention. I felt another hand on mine, I look and see that Finn is trying to pry our hands apart.

"I can take it from here Quinn," he said not looking at me and waving me away.

He did not just do that. He did not just brush me away like I delivered him a package and mean nothing. I almost wanted to punch him in the face until Rachel turned around and looked at me. She gave me a sympathetic look and shrug, I just smiled at her and nodded. I watched everyone pull her from side to side all wanting to talk to her. I lowered my head and looked at my hands. I missed her already, what was that girl doing to me, always on my mind, always wanting to be around her. I sighed when the door closed and Puck and I were left to unpack the car of what we found. I turned around to walk to the car to find Sam standing there.

"I thought you would have been trying to talk to Rachel," I say to him walking around him to the car.

"I will get my chance later," he told me following me to the back of the car, "I'm more interested about you and Puck at the moment and how the tell you managed to get back here with no bikes but Rachel and a Jeep."

I laughed out loud the comment he made. It did sounded completely impossible, crazy impossible even, when he said like that.

"I guess we were just very lucky," I replied still smiling and handing one of the bags to Puck.

"Very," he agreed, "But I want to know how you did it."

I began to tell him everything after we lost contact, Puck getting hit over the head by someone that turned out to be Rachel, how scared I was for the first time in a long time. Sam thought that it was good that I was beginning to feel again, but I didn't like it, it made me feel vulnerable, weak almost. I told him the rest of our journey, from crashing our bikes to finding the Jeep. I felt the relief wash over my face again when I told him how I felt when we drove through those gates and seeing everyone's faces. He looked at me and smiled at he wrapped his arms around me. Sam and I have this connection, I don't know how it started, but he is always there on the other end of the radio and I feel safe with him there. When that connection was lost I felt very lost and alone even with Puck there.

"I'm glad you made it back safe though," he smiled taking one of the bags from me.

I turned to reply but as I did I hit my head on the edge of the car, right on the lump. The pain was immense and it almost knocked me out. Sam helped steady me and I reached up to rub the bump and for the second time my hand came away covered in blood.

"Woah Quinn are you ok," Sam asked obviously seeing the blood.

"Yeah," I replied, "I think I just reopened the wound on my head."

Sam carted me off to our makeshift doctor's surgery, which is just a room full of medical supplies and bits and bobs that will help with wounds we acquire, and he washed out the wound and then tells me to go have a were able to rig up a water system for the bathroom on the bottom floor, connected to a small tank outside gathering rain water and generator we stowed away inside the house. Mike and Puck set it up, none of us are really sure how, but they did it and they made the room sound proof almost. A low drone was all that could be heard from outside. The water isn't great, and half the time it's not hot, but we manage. We all get full showers twice a week, more if we're lucky with the rain.

I strip of my clothes and toss them in a pile on the floor against the wall and turn the taps on, at first the water is cold but soon enough the water is warm, not as much as I'd like it to be but it will do and I step in. The warmth felt great on my body and my sore muscles, the water stung my head but I stood there and let the water run over it. I washed my hair the best I could without bumping my head and the rest of my body until I was clean with not a speck of anything left on me. It felt good to be clean, I don't mind getting down and covered in dirt and sweat but feeling clean is amazing. When I stepped out of the shower I grabbed my towel and dried myself off and looked at myself in the mirror. My head looked nasty but at least it was clean, my body showed splotches of blue, purple and back, bruises coming up everywhere. There was also some beginning to heal. I wrapped the towel around myself and left the bathroom and headed upstairs to my room and pulled out a pair of sweats and a loose shirt. I threw them over my bra and underwear and headed back down to Sam to patch my head up.

He didn't do much, just put some antiseptic solution on it and then put gauze over it with a sticky bandage. I smiled at him and thanked him before walking to the kitchen. On my way I heard Puck telling the rest of the group what had happened while we were out down to the gory details. I didn't need to hear it again, ive experienced it once and it wasn't something I really wanted to relive. Except the Rachel part, I would relive that every day if it were possible was the most alive ive felt in ages.

I snuck into the kitchen to find a vegetable soup sitting in a pot on the bench. It smelled amazing. I went to the cupboard and pulled out a bowl and helped myself, it felt like I hadn't eaten in weeks. I walked back past the group and then up onto the third floor balcony and sat eating my soup watching the sun set on another day at the end of the world. We didn't know if it was the end really, we just assumed, everything around us went to hell so quickly it just seemed like the end. We always talk about the hope of finding a cure but we all know that it's just a pipe dream. Our only hope is that these things end up starving to death or end up becoming a mass of decaying rotting flesh, either way that could take years and who knew how long we could survive on the food that we find, it will all expire eventually. We have been growing a vegetable patch with all different fresh foods that will grow all year round and some at different times just so we will have something to eat at any time of the year. It's too dangerous to have pets of any kind, chickens and roosters are too loud and would attract the infected, so there goes eggs and meat, and cows are just too big to look after along with other farm animals. We hunt, well Mike does at least, once a week we eat a huge meal, deer or something of the like. We do the best with what we have and that's all any of us can ask for.

After the sun had set I headed back inside, washed up my bowl and spoon and put them away. People seemed to have dispersed from the living area and were back to what they normally do, moving busily around the house. Blaine stopped and asked how I was doing and if I needed anything. I didn't need anything but thanked him and gave him a hug. A lot of my friends asked me how I was as I moved about the house and I gave them each the same answer. I was fine. Tired. But fine. Santana was on sentry duty, Puck and Sam were out by the Jeep, I saw Kurt follow Blaine into the kitchen. I didn't know where Mike and Tina were, I couldn't seem them about. Brittney was folding some washing. I was looking for one person in particular and she was the one person I couldn't seem to find.

I could feel my eyes begin to get heavy and drop, I had a big few days and I was excited to get back into my own bed and just sleep. Neither Puck nor I will be disturbed tonight to do lookout duty because of the last few days, but we will be getting straight back into the swing of things tomorrow. I climbed the stairs slowly, every muscle aching and calling out for bed. I heard murmurs coming from Finn's room, no doubt which was where Rachel was too. I wanted badly to stay and listen to what they were talking about but I just needed to get to bed more than anything. I knew it was early but I was absolutely exhausted. I made my way to my room and changed into my pyjamas which was really just a singlet and my underwear. It usually takes forever for me to get to sleep because I spend hours thinking about everything, but tonight I was sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I didn't know how long I had been asleep before my door opened and someone walked in. I thought it may have been Sam coming to check on me and to see if I had concussion, but instead the person opened up the covers and climbed in next to me, their small arms finding their way around my waist and pulling themselves closer. I smiled. Rachel. I roll over so I am facing her and place my hands on her side.

"Hey," I whisper.

"Hey," she replied, I could tell she was smiling.

"Are you alright?" I ask.

"Yeah I'm fine thankyou"

"Did anyone show you to your room?" I asked half hoping that they actually didn't.

"Yeah they did and its lovely, but I couldn't sleep so I came to find you instead."

She came to find me. Take that Hudson. The butterflies were again bursting to get out, this girl made me feel things that no other has before. What was happening?

"Well you can stay as long as you like," I tell her.

"Thankyou Quinn," she replied snuggling in closer intertwining our legs.

Oh dear god one of Rachel Berry's legs were between mine and incredibly close to my centre, and I surprised myself by actually wanting her to move it higher. I could tell that our faces were mere inches from each other because of the slight brush of Rachel's breath across my face. I could feel myself losing control, and I couldn't let that happen. However before I could do anything Rachel snuggled into my shoulder.

"Goodnight Quinn," she yawned, "thank you for letting me sleep here."

And then she promptly went off to sleep leaving me here wide awake with my heart racing and my mind going in circles.

_You should have kissed her then Quinn Fabray. No you shouldn't have you are straight, you don't like girls remember. Then why was she making you feel this way? You are imagining it, it's all in your head. What's with all the butterflies then? You are just feeling this way because someone is finally showing you some attention. But she is a girl. It's the end of the world, does that really matter? _

I spent the best part of the night at war with myself the same things going around and around in my head. By the time I got to sleep again it felt like minutes before I was awoken to Rachel stirring next to me. While she was sleeping I managed to removed her leg from between mine which helped me to relax somewhat. I looked over at her and she was staring up at me and smiled when we made eye contact.

"Morning," she smiled.

"Hey," I replied getting lost in her eyes, "Did you sleep alright?"

"I slept fantastically," she told me stretching.

I saw that she was wearing a loose light yellow shirt and was able to see the outline of her breast clearly indicating she wasn't wearing a bra. I couldn't help but stare.

"What are the plans for today Quinn?" she asked causing my eyes to quickly flick back up to her face.

"Um probably just jobs around here, but we will go and have breakfast first." I told her, "After we get dressed."

She giggled and climbed out of bed showing off her bare legs and that she only slept in a pair of boy leg underwear. My mouth dropped open and all I could do was gawk at her. This woman was trying to kill me I swear.

"See you in a minute," she smiled as she walked from the door.

I sighed and threw my head back down on the pillow. It was obvious the war wasn't resolved even after staying up half the night trying to work out what I was feeling. I slowly climbed out of bed and went to my draw and pulled out a black shirt and a pair of blue denim shorts. I missed wearing all the dresses I used to wear but they are too impractical now. I got myself dressed and walked out the bedroom door and walked straight into Rachel.

"Woah Quinn are you okay?" She asked our faces extremely close again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I told her stepping back and brushing myself off feeling very embarrassed.

We both turned and walked down the stairs towards the kitchen. During breakfast there was talk about a traffic jam of cars that could be full of supplies heading out of New York City.

"I don't remember seeing that," I say to them.

"It's because you went in and came out at a different point," he told me.

I did remember however that we did try and get out but we couldn't get through all the cars and kept having to turn around. I thought someone was just trying to keep people out but it could have been as simple as a traffic jam.

"I remember that we couldn't get out in one section of New York because of cars blocking the way," Puck speaks before I was able to.

"Exactly," said Mike walking in, "Tina and I got back from looking around there last night; it was pretty deserted, not much life there other than animals."

"How are you this morning Rachel?" Tina asked, "I still can't believe they found you."

"I'm great thanks Tina," she replied, "I'm very glad they found me."

Her hand found mine under then stable and she intertwined our fingers. I didn't pull away I just looked over at her and smiled.

_What are you doing Quinn? If you don't like her and she likes you, you might be giving her the wrong idea. But what if you do like her but she doesn't like you back?____I wish love was simple_.

After breakfast I was on lookout duty and Rachel came up with me so I could teach her what to do when she had to come up here on her own.

"Here are the guns, you have three to choose from," I began.

"I know guns Quinn," she said taking me aback, "I was taught, I needed to know."

"Okay we can skip this step then," I smiled turning around, "well actually there isn't much to it. You sit here with the binoculars and look around if you see something unusual talk into the radio and someone will come up for a second opinion. However if you see something of importance that needs everyone needs to know about, say, a group of the infected, call code black over the radio. Everyone is always listening in, we'll all hear. Got it?"

"I understand, thanks Quinn." She smiled taking a seat.

"I'm happy to help," I said sitting in the lookout's chair.

There was short silence before Rachel spoke again.

"Quinn?" she began.

"Yeah?" I spoke looking back at her.

"Why don't you have any photos or any memories in your room or around the house or anything for that matter?" she said looking at me, seeming very keen for my answer.

"We have learnt from past experiences that they can hold you back and cause major problems." I told her looking away.

I didn't like this story, but it was another that Rachel should know. It was another that I kept locked away because of how badly it affected me. No one but Sam and I know this story from seeing it first hand; the others know it because we told them. Just like before I didn't want to open this can of worms but I wouldn't not tell her.

"What do you mean?" she asked me.

"We were a few states out at this stage, somewhere in Delaware I think," I began, "Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury was still with us at that stage."

- Flashback-

**Six months after infection.**

_It was early morning when I awoke from a peaceful sleep. It had taken me months to relax enough to get a decent amount of sleep due to my nerves. We were all sleeping together in the living room, some on the couches and others on the floor with a sleeping bag. The house wasn't very big, but big enough for us to live in. I look next to me and see that Sam is still sound asleep he must have changed shifts with Tina through the night as they planned. Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury were snuggled up together on one of the lounges. Brittney was asleep in Santana's as was Kurt with Blaine. Puck was snoring away, Mike was hidden in his sleeping bag and Finn was sprawled over the floor. I quietly stepped over the sleeping bodies and made my way to the kitchen. Once there I walked over to one of the cupboards and pulled out a bottle of water and an apple. I took a sip and then a bite. The apple was crisp and juicy, it was bursting with flavour, and it's not often nowadays that you get a good piece of fruit. I heard some moans but ignored it thinking it was someone in their sleep. I finished the apple and placed it in the bin. I took the lid off the water and put it up to my mouth, but before I could drink any the moans were louder and there was a banging, lots of banging. I knew instantly what this meant. I placed the water on the bench and ran for the front door. When I got close I peeked through a crack in the board on the window to find masses of the undead. I stumbled back and fell over a plank of wood that was lying on the ground. I hit the ground with a thud but scrambled to my feet as fast as I could._

"_WAKE UP!" I say, loud enough for them to hear but not the undead, as I ran to the living room, "Wake up."_

_Everyone began to stir, but they weren't moving fast enough, with the amount of the undead that were outside they will break down the door in no time._

"_Get up," I say shaking them and pulling the blankets down. _

"_What's up Quinn?" Puck asked rubbing his eyes._

"_Hundreds of infected. Outside. Banging on door." My eyes were wide and once I had told everyone what I had seem their expressions mimicked mine._

"_How did they get so close?" Santana asked me._

"_We should have been out of here before it got this bad," exclaimed Blaine rubbing his hands together._

"_Why didn't Tina tell us?" Finn Pipped in._

_Everyone was on their feet no longer looking at me but up the stairs instead, to the place Tina was meant to be keeping watch._

_Why didn't she tell us that they were approaching, she had binoculars, she would have seen them coming and it would have given us a chance to escape. I turned and walked up the stairs, Finn, Mike and Puck followed. We crept quietly towards the bedroom that faced the road, the one that Tina was in. I opened the door and walked through._

"_Tina?" I called._

_Nothing. No movement, to sound, no nothing. _

"_Tina?" I asked louder this time as I moved towards the chair._

_When I walked around the Chair I found her sitting in it, asleep._

"_TINA!" I screamed and she woke up._

_I was fuming, but not as fuming as Finn._

"_What the fuck Tina?" He yelled, "How could you have fallen asleep and put us all in danger like this. You are supposed to been keeping watch so this doesn't happen."_

_She looked confused, "what?"_

"_There are mountains of infected outside, banging on our door," He told her._

"_What?" she asked again._

"_Are you stupid Tina," he yelled in her face, "you have just signed everyone's death certificate because you can't keep your fucking eyes open!"_

_He had his hands on either shoulder and was shaking her. Mike quickly jumped in and got in between then and pushed him off. Mike copped a fist to the eye and Mike broke Finn's nose. Puck had to jump in between and managed to split them up._

"_Grow the fuck up both of you," He told them, "we need to get out of here and we can't do that with you two having a bitch fit at each other."_

_Finn went to have go at him, but I put my hand up and stopped him before he could._

"_He is right Finn," I said, "we need to go and get us all out, and you standing here wanting to argue over everything isn't going to help."_

_He walked off out the door in a huff and we followed closely behind. _

_No one said anything to Tina when we got down stairs, they had packed up all of our things which were sitting in a pile on the floor and had them ready to go._

"_The cars and bikes are parked by the side off the house," Sam reminded us, "we may be able to climb out the side window and get to them from there."_

"_Worth a try," Blaine replied, "Its better than sitting here and waiting for them to walk through the door."_

"_We are more likely to get eaten out there though," Finn complained._

_I rolled my eyes, he thinks he is always right and will get the shits if someone tells him something different._

"_Finn. Shut up," Blaine told him._

_Another fight erupted again with everyone shouting at everyone, pointing fingers, and swearing. _

"_STOP!" Santana yelled at the top of her lungs and everyone stopped and looked at her, "yelling at each other isn't helping to get us out, and if they get in here before we get out I swear I will go all Lima Heights on your asses."_

_Santana yelling and another huge bang on the door snapped everyone into gear. Mike climbed through the side window and silently as he could and we all passed him out things. He placed them on the back of the Ute and then jumped in the driver's seat. Santana, Britney, Tina and Finn all went with him. _

_Next we sent Puck, Kurt and Blaine through the window and into the car and they left following the Ute. Before we could get out the window there was an almighty crash signalling then infected were now in the house. Mr Schue, Miss Pillsbury, Sam and I were the only ones left in the house. Sam closed the door and barricaded us in with a shelf. We sent Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury out the window before us and they jumped into one of the bikes. Banging began on the door behind us and that made Sam and I move faster. He pushed me through the window and then followed me through, he then hopped on the last bike and started it up, I jumped on behind him after he started it and placed my hands around his waist. _

"_Lets go!" he yelled to Mr Schue._

_He turned around and I saw his eyes widen, I snapped my head around to see that Miss Pillsbury was climbing back through the window._

"_What is she doing?" I yelled jumping off the bike and trying to pull her out the window._

"_I need to get the bag with the photo albums," she told me pushing me off, "they are the only memories I have left."_

_I let her push me off her and watched her climb back into the house. I shook my head and turned back and jumped on the back off Sam's bike. He just looked at me and shook his head and turned the bike around so we were facing the other bike which still contained a shocked Mr Schue looking into the window. We couldn't get passed him and he wouldn't let us pass, he wanted to wait for Emma. Sam and I turned and watched as she struggled with the bag. The door behind her began to break and the infected were trying to get in. As she went to jump out the window the strap on the backpack caught on something and pulled her back inside, she tried to free it but it was no use, the infected had smashed their way inside was headed straight for her._

"_NO!" screamed Mr Schue as he dove off his bike and picked up his gun._

_Neither Sam nor I was expecting him to do what he did next. He climbed back up though the window and began to shoot the undead. There was a gut retching cry told us that Miss Pillsbury had been bitten. The sound of ripping flesh and gun shots echoed in my ears, I wanted to look away but I just couldn't. We first watched Miss Pillsbury get over run by the undead and she disappeared from our site. Mr Schue tried to scramble back to the window and was half way out when the infected grabbed him and pulled him back in. The horror I saw in his eyes would never leave me. The look of pain and fear in his eyes was the last we saw off him as he was overrun by them. A few of the undead saw us as he fell back inside and they started for us, but before they could even get out the window Sam had put the bike in gear and we were out of there._

_We caught up with the others at the end of the neighbourhood, they look down at us with confused eyes, but the tear filled look we gave them in return spoke more words than anything. They knew basically what happened didn't ask any questions. I clung to Sam as we drove away from the town with tears streaming down my cheek._

-End Flashback-

I looked up from my hands to find Rachel in tears. I smiled softly as the tears fell from my eyes too. I lifted my hand and wiped the falling tears away with my hands.

"And you saw it all?" she asked.

"Yeah," I replied, "Sam and I saw it all."

She stood up and pulled me into her arms, I felt sheltered and safe. I wished I could have stayed there forever.

"Sam and I only ever spoke about that once. It was after we had gotten to safety and everyone wanted to know what happened. We barely made it through telling them," I told her, "we never talked about it again and no one asked. It was just too hard to talk about."

"But you told me?" she questioned.

"You had the right to know," I replied to her, "you needed to know. They were a major part of your life too."

She looked as if she was about to say something else but Mike walked through the door.

"We have decided to go and check out that abandoned traffic Jam going into New York City," he told us, "Sam wants to take everyone."

Rachel and I glanced at each other, everyone was not a good idea, that was too many people, too many chances to make a mistake, too many for the undead to get a hold. We nodded anyway, rising from our seats and descending back into the house.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **Hey hey, sorry for another late update, my beta has been quite busy and I didn't want to post without it being read first. I hope you enjoy this chapter… I have a feeling you will ;) I have tried to put lots of suspense in there and also lots of Faberry. I also want to take a chance to thank all of you for sticking with me so far on this story. It my first one and I am so flattered that you all are taking the time to read and review it. I love all the reviews, I get so excited when I see that I have them and can't wait to read what you all have said. It gives me so much inspiration and I just want to keep writing. I would also like to say that I got some of these ideas from the walking dead and felt I should mention that. Also in the previous chapter I should have mentioned that there was going to be character deaths, so I'm putting it in this one. **WARNING: **Character death.

I rode Sam's bike back towards New York City with Puck on Mike's next to me; we had to borrow theirs since we lost ours on our last trip there. I was regretting it, I had a bad feeling and I didn't like it. I didn't know if it was because we got trapped in there or not, I just knew that going back this way was a bad idea, but Sam and Mike insisted that it was being silly to pass up such a great opportunity so we all went with him. Mike led the way in the pickup accompanied by Tina, Santana and Brit. Sam followed behind in the jeep with Fin, Kurt, Blaine and Rachel. Puck looked at me as we rode along and gave me a small shrug. He wasn't keen about going back either, not because he had a bad feeling or anything, he just didn't want to go back somewhere where there is a mass army of infected waiting to rip our throats out. I couldn't imagine how Rachel was feeling, Puck and I were only there for a few days, she was abandoned and left there and now it must feel like we are taking her back. I couldn't leave her behind, I can't believe anyone would. I felt myself slipping again and begin to think about her, her eyes, her hair, her smile. I couldn't afford to think about that now. I needed to be fully focused, we all needed to be on high alert even though Mike and Tina said there was no needed to worry. But from my experience there is always a need to worry. Houses passed by as did broken cars and soon enough we were on the motorway that leads back into the city. We began to slow and I pulled out so I could see around Mike's car. There, up a head was the traffic jam that Mike told us about, to me it seemed like a grave yard, a vehicle graveyard. It gave me chills; no doubt there would be dead bodies in there, peoples belongings, the parts of their lives they chose to take with them.

Mike began to slow in front of us and shortly after slowed to a stop as we reached the cars. Puck and I stopped behind him and Sam behind us. I turned off my bike and stepped off, pulling my helmet off as I did so. Once all of engines were off silence rang in my ears, an eerie silence. I looked to Puck and he met my gaze with the same look I was giving him. Worry.

"See guys," called Mike, "there will be heaps of stuff in here that we can use. Spare parts, food, medical supplies."

He seemed very proud and very confident, Tina appearing at his side equally as proud.

"Well if this isn't the creepiest place I've ever seen than I don't know what is," Santana told us.

"It will be fine," Tina told her, "we've checked it out, and there is nothing to be worried about here."

Santana just nodded and grabbed Brittney's hand.

"Are you sure?" Kurt asked, visibly agitated "Seems like a great place for the infected to hide."

"There isn't anything to be scared of here," she repeated, trying to sound confident in her own words.

Kurt looked to Blaine and he just shrugged.

"Why did we all need to come Sam?" Blaine asked

"Well the more people we have the faster we can sift through everything," he told us, "and the faster we sift through everything the faster we can leave this place."

Good. So I wasn't the only one that this place gave the chills to. Santana and Sam both felt it as well and by the look I got from Puck when we arrived, he didn't like it much either. I felt Rachel appear at my side and stand close enough that we were touching.

"Well, I guess we should get started then," I say to everyone, "the less time we can be here the better."

Everyone nodded and went to turn away.

"Wait." Sam called.

Everyone stopped and turned back to looked at him.

"Whatever we find put it in the back of the Ute," he said pointing to the car Mike drove, "There are also bags in the back to help you carry back what you find."

It sounded like every other time we have gone on what we call a scavenger hunt, I don't know why he needs to tell it to us every time, he is just trying to be helpful I guess. We all just smile and nod, some give a quiet "yes".

This place was not only a graveyard for cars but also people. Dead bodies lay strewn throughout the area, in cars, on the road, everywhere and the smell was not welcoming at all. Puck and I kicked them gently as we passed, checking for any life signs; or what resembled life signs.

It wasn't long before we found a replacement for one of the bikes Puck and I lost on our adventure into New York City.

"The keys are still in it and by the look of it there is enough fuel to get back home," I tell Puck and Rachel, "It may be a quad bike but it will come in useful."

"No I agree Quinn, It will make up for the bike we lost," he nodded checking the bike, "and it seems like it is in perfect condition, it's been sitting here for a while but it should still work."

Puck jumped on and started it up. Surprisingly it started instantly and he drove it back towards the cars we brought with us. I watched him go and then went back to searching the cars. I walked up to a silver Sedan. The front doors were open, like the occupants had to get out fast, so fast they didn't even have time to close the doors behind them. I looked in the front seat; there were old food packets, CDs and some spare change. The back seat contained some clothes that look like they were just thrown in there in a rush. I sifted through the clothes, looking at sizes and if they are wearable. I picked the bag up off the ground next to me and began to fill it up. Pink shirts, denim shorts and jeans. There wasn't much but anything could be helpful to us.

"Did you find anything of use Quinn?" Rachel asked walking up next to me.

"Just some clothes so far," I replied looking over at her, "I haven't looked in the trunk yet."

Whenever I looked at her lately she took my breath away. I always thought she was beautiful but not like this. Her eyes, her face, her hair and her smile, it all make he want to stop what I'm doing and passionately kiss her. She walked over to me and smiled. I wish she wouldn't do that, as much as I loved it, I wish she wouldn't, it was so distracting. I lost all train of thought and when she reached me I pulled her in for a hug.

"Woah Quinn," she giggled, "what's this for?"

She wrapped her around my waist and I smiled.

"No reason," I told her shrugging.

I pulled her in closer and placed my hands on her lower back and looked into her eyes, I tried to steady myself but tripped on the bag of clothes I left on the ground behind me. We both fell, my back hitting the car behind me, Rachel's body flush with mine. We both started laughing at the same time.

"Are you okay?" she laughed trying to rub my back.

"Yeah I'm fine," I laughed back.

Our faces for inches apart and I wanted nothing more than to place my lips on hers. We both stopped laughing and just stood there leaning against the car looking at each other. I lifted my hand and slowly brushed a strand of hair from her face behind her ear. My fingers felt like they were on fire as my they brushed against her skin. She blushed slightly and looked down to our side. I instantly felt like I was missing something, I reached out and placed my hand under her chin and lifted her eyes back to mine. She was still blushing but didn't remove her gaze this time. I leaned towards her slightly and waited to see what she would do. I expected her to back away, but instead she moved toward me. My heart was racing a million miles an hour, I had never kissed a girl before, and actually I've never had any feelings for a girl before, but at this present moment in time I really couldn't care less. We both leaved in closer, I could feel the slight blush of her breath on my face. I was excited, probably more than I should be. I began to close the last of the gap between us.

"Quinn?" Puck called, "Where are you?"

Fuck!

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah Puck, I'm over here."

"Are you both okay?" He asked.

"Of course we are Noah" Rachel replied.

"I thought I heard a scream." He told us.

"I just tripped on my bag that's all," I said looking at Rachel, "Rach tried to save me but we both fell."

He looked at us both and then just shrugged, "Come with me, look at what I found."

I looked over to Rachel and her cheeks were still red, I cocked my head to the side towards Puck and she nodded. I put hand out for her and she took it and intertwined our fingers.

We found Puck standing next to a beautiful red Yamaha road bike, it looked heavy, no doubt it would be too heavy for me and Puck would have to ride it. However on closer inspection it looked like I may be able to ride it if I really had to.

"Wow, does it run?" I ask Puck.

"I don't see why not, it is in exactly the same shape as the quad we found," he told me.

"Fire it up then." I say waving my free hand toward the bike.

The Yamaha, just like the quad roared to life, however unlike the quad it was much louder. Puck quickly killed the engine and gave me a look, a worried look. Hopefully Tina was right and there was nothing here.

"I think I'll push this one back to the cars," he nodded at us.

"That is probably smart," I laughed at him.

He smiled and rolled his eyes at me and began to push the bike toward the cars.

When he disappeared from sight I turned back to Rachel and smiled. We walked hand in hand back to the car I was going through before.

"Quinn?" Rachel said tugging on my hand getting my attention, "how often do you do this kind of thing?"

"A lot actually," I tell her thinking back, "whenever we go to a new place or whenever we need supplies."

She didn't say anything else, instead she went to the car and pressed the button which opened the trunk. I lifted the lid and looked in. There, inside was a full box of canned food. Fruit, beans, vegetables and it was all in date.

"Alright," I exclaim, "Score one for the team."

"What is it?" Rachel asked walking around to the back of the car.

"Food, a lot of it and its in date," I tell her , "it's not often that you find this much food that is still good to eat babe."

"What?" she asked giving me a surprised look.

Oh god… did I just call her babe? Why did I do that?

"We barely ever find this amount of food in date," I repeat as I lift the box from the car and turn away from her, hoping she didn't notice that I called her babe.

"Did you just call me babe?" she giggled.

I winced. Crap. She did notice.

"Um, I, ah," I didn't know what to say, "I.. didn't… you know…"

"Its ok Quinn, don't worry," she said coming over behind me and warping her arms around me.

Her arms around me felt so good, I wish they would stay there. But before I could think anything else of it she removed her arms and picked up the bag of clothes next to the car.

"Come on, let's take these back to the car" she told me and leading the way back to the cars giving me a chance to check out her ass.

Everyone was spread throughout the car graveyard, I couldn't tell you where everyone was but they were there sifting through the cars and other vehicles. I could see Kurt standing on the top of a caravan keeping lookout with a gun, Blaine was probably close by.

Rachel and I found our way back to where we were and started on the next car and once we had finished that one we moved onto the next. The day dragged on and we all got further and further into the cars. I think Puck and Finn were further in than us. Santana was on lookout and was standing on a mini bus closer to where we were.

"What happened in New York Rachel?" I asked stopping what I was doing.

"What do you mean?" she looked up at me, "You were there Quinn."

"No. I mean when you were there, before we found you?" I smiled walking over to her.

"Oh. I will tell you later Quinn, I don't think here is a good place share that story."

"Come on Rach please?" I say taking her hands in mine.

"I will tell you Quinn, just not now." She replied giving me a soft smile.

"Ok. But can you just tell me who it was that left you?" I asked giving her a pleading look.

She looked down and nodded, "Jesse St James, Sebastian Smythe and Harmony, from the Unitards."

I was in shock. How? Why? What? What they doing in New York? And a better question, what were they doing in New York together and with Rachel.

"What?" I ask.

However before she could reply Santana whistled altering us all to something. Rachel and I turned and looked back at her. She was pointing up a head, past us. I was confused and when I turned around to look at what she was pointing at I saw Finn and Puck come running, but they were staying low.

My stomach sank.

"Get under the cars and stay quiet," Puck told us.

I knew exactly what he meant. There was a horde coming. My heart started beating so fast I was surprised I didn't go into cardiac arrest.

"What?" Rachel asked as the boys ran off.

After that everything happened so fast, I looked up to Santana and she had pressed herself flat to the top of the mini bus. I grabbed Rachel's hand and pushed her underneath the nearest car. I pulled out one of the dead bodies from another car and pushed it against her and ran around the other side. I dived under too pulled another body next to me. We learnt to do this because the decaying smell of people's bodies hid our smell. I didn't know if everyone else had found a place to hide but I hope they did. I was pushed up against Rachel who was on her back and she was looking up at me with a confused look. I put my index finger to my lips and mouthed "shhh." She shrugged and shook her head at me obviously still confused. I was on my stomach so it was easy for me to lean down and whisper in her ear.

"We need to be really quiet," I told her, "There is a massive group of the infected coming our way and we need to hide and stay quiet."

Her eyes widened and nodded. I could see the fear in her eyes, I thought living in New York for that long she would have been used to big groups of the infected. I grabbed her hand and she intertwined our fingers and squeezed tight. I was just as scared and I was trying not to show it but it wasn't working. We had never been in this situation before, we knew we had to be quiet and we knew that the dead bodies will hide our smell. We just had to lay low and hope for the best. Rachel and I were pushed together getting as close as we could under the car hoping that the infected wouldn't find us.

There was a small gap between the bottom of the car and the body I placed next to Rachel which I was able to see through and see what was happening. I didn't dare to move, I lay there under the car holding my breath. It felt like forever for the drag of feet and low moaning to reach us. I hoped the hard beating of my heart wouldn't be heard by the infected that were stumbling less than a metre from our faces. Rachel's hand was still in mine and I was gripping her so tight, I couldn't tell if it was her shaking or me. One of the passing infected fell as they passed us, and I was pretty sure my heart stopped. Rachel's eyes snapped to mine, they were wide, filled with fear just like mine were. We both looked back to the undead that fell, it was struggling to get up when it stopped and looked in our direction. I didn't move, I wasn't even breathing. It dragged itself over towards us until I could have reach out and touched it. It began sniffing around the body I had placed by the car and I could feel myself begin to sweat. The nudging and pulling made it worse, I knew if they found us we would be screwed, we wouldn't escape, there was too many of them. It pulled the body away from leaning on the car and onto the ground leaving a huge gap where anything could see us. Another one came over and began to rip at the body, however the first one didn't like that and ripped it back. The body looked dry and almost decayed but when the undead ripped it apart it released a smell that I thought was going to melt my face off. I tried not to gag but I couldn't help it and when I did, I did as silently as I could. The look of disgust on Rachel's face mimicked mine, I could see she was trying as hard as she could to not make a sound. I very slowly lifted my shirt over my nose making sure that I wouldn't startle the fighting undead next to us. The undead moved the body away from us somewhat but it didn't relieve us from the smell. I sighed in relief when they quit ripping the body apart got up off the ground and began walking again with the rest of the horde.

Soon, the undead began to thin out and the moans began to grow quieter. However I didn't move and made Rachel stay where she was, I don't know why I made her do that but it turned out to be a smart decision. We heard quick steps moving towards us, hurried scared steps. Suddenly a body fell a few metres away from Rachel and I, it was Tina. She looked up and saw my face, a look of terror on her face. She gripped her knee, I could see it was bleeding but didn't know how bad she hurt it.

"Quinn," she pleaded as she tried to get up, "Quinn please."

I began to leave our safe space when Rachel grabbed my arm. I looked back at her and she was pointing toward the front of the car, there, I saw more feet being dragged in our direction. There was another wave coming. I quickly looked back at Tina and tried to signal her to get under one of the nearby cars but she wasn't fast enough. She hurried but couldn't do much with her knee, she managed to get half under when then infected reached her and were upon her in no time pulling her back out, her heart breaking screams echoed in my ears.

"HELP!" she screamed, "HELP ME."

My eyes filled with tears as I watched another of my friends be over-run by those cannibalistic monsters. I looked to Rachel and she was just looking at her, tears running down her cheek her hand still over her nose, I didn't know if it was to stifle the sobs or because of the still lingering smell.

Another gargling scream erupted from Tina's throat, "MIKE. MIKE SAVE ME!"

Mike would know better than to risk his life by leaving his hiding place and trying to save her, a lost cause now. She would have been bitten so many times and way beyond saving and we didn't have a cure, we weren't even sure if one existed. He would be hiding somewhere, I didn't know whether he was close by or far away, but I know he could hear her. It must be tearing his heart apart, I could only imagine what he must be feeling, unable to save the person he loves most in the world. Rachel and I had a front row seat and we watched as she was being torn limb from limb, unable to do anything to help her, screams escaping her mouth every so often. A sob escaped from Rachel and it caused one of the infected to look over in our direction. The tears were running down her face as fast as they were on mine. She let out another sob, which made the undead move closer to us. I placed my free hand on her cheek and made her look in my eyes.

"Eyes on me," I mouth to her and she gave me a small nod.

We kept eye contact but she was still sobbing, trying to keep them quiet. I was so afraid for our lives and worried about Rachel I didn't know what to do. The undead that heard her was walking around our car, bumping into it every so often making me jump. I looked down at Rachel's trembling lips and then back up to her eyes. I slowly leant in closer to her face weary she might make a noise, she didn't pull away, instead she held my eye contact and her sobs began to stop. I moved in closer and I could feel Rachel's erratic breath on my face, I wanted this to happen. I didn't move any closer, I was afraid that her reaction might alert the horde to our whereabouts. We stayed looking into each other's eyes before she closed the gap and pressed our lips together. The sparks flew as our lips fit perfectly together and began to move as one. Her lips were so soft and I could feel myself melting into her, loosing myself in her. I moved the hand from her cheek to the back of her head, intertwined my fingers in her hair and pushed our faces closer together. It was better than I ever imagined but I didn't push my luck and didn't try to gain entry behind those magnificent lips. I could feel her smiling under my lips and I pulled away and looked into her eyes. They were still full of tears but she had a slight smile on her face. I placed our foreheads together and closed my eyes and wish that we could escape this place and erase what we just saw.

I looked over and between the legs of the undead saw there wasn't much left of Tina and the undead had begun to disperse, neither Rachel nor I wanted to look over to where Tina was after they all had moved on, instead we just looked at each other not saying anything. We all stayed in our hiding places for a while longer, but then I decided to venture out and see if it was safe. I pushed the body away that was left on my side and rolled out from under the car and snuck around the front. My heart was threatening to jump from my chest, I peeked around to where Tina's remains lay, there was nothing in sight, no sign that the undead where here at all except the bloody pile near the base of the car that Tina tried to scramble under. I placed my hand out and helped Rachel out from under the car, she didn't look to where Tina was, and I knew it would be way too hard for her. She looked to me and her eyes were red from cry as I imagine mine would be. We silently began to walk back to the cars, we didn't touch, just walked side by side. I looked up and saw Santana sitting on top the of mini bus with her head in her hands, Brit next to her trying to get her off the top, no doubt Santana saw the entire thing, just like Rachel and I. Everyone will have heard what happened with the screams, but I don't know how many people saw.

No one spoke when we first returned back to the cars, we just stood there and looked at each other. Mike was sitting on the ground with his head between his legs and his hands on the back of his head, he looked like he was going to be sick, I don't blame him, I think I would be sick if I was in his position too. Kurt was in Blaine's arms, sobs coming from both of them, Finn stood against one the jeep with his arms crossed, not looking at anyone. Sam and Puck both stood there, a look of shock on their faces, I couldn't tell what they were thinking, it's not often those two are left speechless. Brittney was crying in Santana's arms and Santana looked like she was trying to keep herself together. No matter how many times we lose someone we love it didn't get easier. I just realised that I had been present and seen every single one of my friend's deaths.

Finally Finn spoke, "Should we… I dunno, should we go home?"

He seems to struggle speaking through his sobs. Kurt and Blaine just nodded and headed back to the Jeep.

"Yeah I suppose we should," Santana nodded and guided Brit to the pickup.

Puck looked at the rest of us and then down to Mike. He was still sitting there with his head between his legs. Puck nudged Sam and indicted towards Mike, Sam seemed to know what Puck was on about and they both went over to either side of Mike.

"Come on buddy," Puck said putting Mike's arm over his shoulder while Sam got the other.

Mike was white as a ghost and looked rather unresponsive. The boys led him over to the Jeep and put him in the back seat where he just laid down. While I watched the boys with Mike, Rachel had made her way to the pickup and hopped into the back seat behind Santana in the driver's seat. That just left Sam, Puck, Finn and I to ride the four bikes back. Puck mounted the red road bike he found and fired it up, Sam jumped onto his that I rode here, Finn climbed aboard the quad, which left me with the bike Puck rode here. I climbed on and started it up. It will be hard to ride back by myself, trying to concentrate after everything, Rachel and I kissing and Tina being right there, calling for the help that we were unable to give. Tears streamed out of my eyes as I rode back towards home, Sam rode up next to me and gave me a 'are you going to be okay?' look. I simply smiled in return. I didn't know if I was going to be ok. I didn't know what my emotions were doing, I was happy because of the kiss but sad because of Tina, and I didn't know how to act, laugh, cry, scream, have a breakdown, all I knew is that I needed to get back without crashing so I needed to concentrate and put these emotions away for a later time.

That was always easier said than done.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's note:** Hey guys I know it has taken me FOREVER to update this but Uni has been hectic. Well here is the new update I hope you like it. Keep reviewing, I love all of you.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

We'd long ago arrived home, none of us had moved from the lounge room. Everyone was either crying or staring blankly into space; Mike looked pale and was fighting to keep tears back. The fact we'd lost someone else had hit us all harder than we imagined. Rachel and Finn sat closely huddled together, I wanted to grab her and talk what had happened while we were hiding beneath the car, but I knew it wasn't the time

Why didn't Tina just stay where she was originally hiding? She should have known to stay where she was. I just shook my head, I wish I didn't have a front row seat because when we all got home I had to tell everyone what happened. I couldn't hold my tears back and my voice kept cracking and I told them and that made them all cry harder. It was a brutal cycle of my voice breaking to someone sobbing, making me cry and then everyone else cry. After I had finished no one said anything and just sat there and that's where we have been ever since.

I couldn't keep sitting here, I needed to do something to get my mind off the entire ordeal, so I got off the couch and went into the kitchen. I looked around for a few minutes before I found the box of food we found in the wreckage of cars. I lifted the box onto the counter and went through what we had found. There was tinned fruit, soup, tinned spaghetti and baked beans. It was likely none of us had eaten since before we had ventured out, so I decided to take out some of the food for everyone. I doubt they will want to eat anything but I thought they should. I got a tin for everyone and put it on a tray I found in one of the cupboards.

"Do you need help?" a sudden voice asks from behind me, making me jump.

I turned around to see a red eyed Kurt standing in the doorway. I walk straight over to him and wrap my arms around him and pull him in for a hug as he instantly hugs me back.

"I would love some Kurt," I tell him giving him a slight smile.

He nodded and went and got bottles of water out of another cupboard and put them in a basket to carry them out.

"How are you holding up?" he asks me, "You know after seeing it all?"

"Yeah, you know, I'm… hanging in there," I told him with a small sad shrug.

"I know what you mean," he told me, "I just couldn't imagine seeing it, I couldn't imagine seeing any of you being ripped to shreds and being right there, right in front of you and not being able to do anything."

"Being that close is something I wish I could wipe from my memory Kurt," I tell him getting some spoons and forks out of the drawer.

"What about Rachel?" he asked.

"I don't know, I guess you would have to ask her," I say a bit confused, "but I'm pretty confident that she is pretty torn up about it all. It was pretty horrific."

"She didn't tell you?" he asked, a flash of confusion crossing his features.

"No she didn't," I found it odd that she hadn't told me too, but I hadn't voiced anything of it "come to think of it Kurt, she has been a bit distant since it happened."

"Really? That's odd," he told me, "you two have been inseparable since we found her."

I thought about it for a moment and it became more strange how distant she had become since the incident. It gave me a sinking feeling in my gut. A feeling I haven't had since I was back in high school getting mixed up with all the boys. Wow my life seemed so complicated when I was there. However now that I look back it was the simplest time of my life and I would give anything to just go back to when all I had to worry about was being popular and becoming Prom Queen. Now worry is a daily thing for all of us. Worrying when we will run out of food, of water. Worrying whether the infected will find us, corner us, get us. And now I'm worrying about why Rachel is acting strange with me. Now THAT is something I would have worried about in high school, not something that should be thought about now that the worlds ending. Never thought I'd see the day that Rachel Berry not talking to me was the thing that worried me the most.

I looked over at him and smiled, "More than just inseparable."

He gave me a weird look but didn't say what he was thinking, instead he told me, "Try talking to her about it. She might just be having trouble processing it all. We all know what it's like to lose someone we love, but we don't know what she has been through, who she was with or who she may have lost, so it may just be hitting her harder than it is hitting us."

"She was with Harmony, Jesse and Sebastian," I reluctantly tell him, "she told me this morning and it didn't come to mind until now."

The look on his face was pure shock. About the look I would get if one of the infected had entered the room. "Are you serious?" he finally managed to splutter out.

I nod at him not knowing what else to say. Kurt didn't like Sebastian; none of us really did, even after what he did for Karofsky. Jesse was no better after what he did to Rachel.

"How? How did you find this out?" he asked with wide eyes and shaking his head, "were they there when you found Rachel?"

"No they weren't there when we found Rachel. I don't know where they were but they sure as hell weren't with Rachel," I explain to him, "When we were at the car pileup she was midway through telling me, the horde cut the rest of it off. Haven't been able to get her alone since..."

"Oh shit, that is huge Quinn," he told me.

"I know I was speechless too when she told me. I would have loved to have found out more but we have no time at all for that." I told him trying to figure out the emotions that were crossing his face.

There was a long pause and I thought his head might explode.

"Are you going to ask her to explain more?" he asked finally.

"I'll try I guess but I don't think now is a particularly good time for that."

He sighed, "Very true"

I looked over and just shrugged, I watched him pick up the water and I followed him after picking up the food and headed back out into the lounge room not speaking another word about it. Kurt passed out the water and I gave everyone a can of food and either a knife or a spoon. They didn't seem to care that they had food or water and just held them.

"Snap out of it," Kurt suddenly says beside me making me jump, "yes we lost Tina, but that doesn't give you all the excuse to stop eating and make yourselves sick, I swear we go through this every time."

Everyone looked at him startled and then turned to the food in their hands and opened them. I don't think they realised how hungry they were because once they started eating then didn't stop and each of them finished their bottle of water too, including Mike, who was still not talking or looking at anyone. I felt so bad for him, the heartbreak was written all over his face and didn't join in when the others began to make conversation. I caught Rachel's eye and smiled but she quickly turned away and started up a conversation with Santana. Odd… she usually smiles back; I wonder why she turned away this time? I tried to get her attention again but she didn't even look my way.

For the rest of the afternoon she did not come stand or sit by me, talk to me or even look at me. This confused me. She was acting very odd and I was the only one that noticed because no one else knew what was going on, except Kurt but he was wrapped up in his own thing with Blaine and didn't pay much attention to me or Rachel except for the occasional sympathetic look over.

When I saw Rachel get up off the couch and head upstairs I knew this was my chance to find out what was going on. I waited until she had reached the second floor before I followed her up the stairs and joined her. When she heard me she turned around and looked at me and I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her to give her a hug. She gave me a light squeeze back then turned away and stepped out of my arms. I gave her a confused look.

"Rachel?" I asked.

"Quinn, don't," she told me turning away.

"Don't what?" I grab her arm turning her around so she would look at me.

"Please Quinn," she almost begged.

I had absolutely no clue what was happening here.

"Please what?" I ask, "Don't what?

"Quinn please don't make this difficult," she said looking me straight in the eye.

"Rachel. Please tell me what you are talking about, because you are making no sense and I can't follow," I told her placing my hands on her shoulders.

"I don't know what to say," she replied stepping out of my arms again.

I threw my hands up in frustration, "then say anything just so I know what we are talking about."

"I shouldn't have kissed you in the first place Quinn," she said not looking into my eyes, "it was wrong of me."

"Wrong? Why?"

"Because… I'm… I'm back with Finn,"

I couldn't work out what my emotions were doing and my face was probably showing that because I could feel it changing as I was trying to process what she just said.

"Back, with Finn?" I repeated her, slowly, uttering every syllable as if she hadn't actually said it.

She nodded and looked down.

"And when did this happen?"

"Last night," she told me.

"Last night?" the volume of my voice increasing an octave, "Before or after you came into my room and decided to snuggle right up close to me?"

I could feel the tears coming, I was so angry and upset with what she was telling me.

"I'm so sorry Quinn," she said finally coming closer to me, but it was me not wanting her this time.

I put my hand out and stopped her coming closer, "Before or after?"

"Before, but Quinn…" she started before I cut her off.

"Save it. I was an idiot to think that you liked me," I began to turn away.

"Quinn, I love him," she sighed.

"Good for you," I snapped, "maybe next time you like someone you will cling to them nonstop and not lead on someone else."

"Quinn please, just listen to me," She begged the look on her face was pure shock and misery, I think she realised what she did and not only hurt me but probably Finn too but I couldn't care less about him at the moment. I just shook my head and turned away from her and stalking my way back down the stairs, I could hear her calling for me but didn't bother turning around. I didn't need this shit in my life right now, not after having it all through school.

I could hear squabbling as I reached the living room. What now?

I walked around the corner and into the room to find Mike on his feet saying something I couldn't make out and the rest of the group was facing him yelling something back. What were we? A pack of animals? No a pack of animals would get along better. I stood there watching for about thirty seconds to see if they would stop. They didn't. Rachel appeared at my side and without looking at her I walked into the room.

"Hey," I called with no reaction.

I shook my head and cleared my throat and tried again, "HEEEEEYYY!"

They all stopped and looked at me. That sure got their attention.

"What are you trying to do, call the damn undead to us?" I asked sarcastically.

Suddenly they all start shouting at each other again and pointing fingers and swearing. I roll my eyes, what the hell is wrong with these people today?

"WILL YOU SHUT UP!" I scream, "All of you."

"Mike…"Finn started pointing to Mike but I put my finger out.

"No."

"But," he replied.

"No," I cut him off again.

They all seemed to be yelling at Mike so I decided to start with what he had to say.

"Mike?" I ask, "What is going on?"

I should have expected the answer that he was about to give me with all the commotion that it caused but I didn't so I was completely gobsmacked when he told me he wanted to go and try and retrieve what was left of Tina, if there was anything.

"Wait what?" I asked him not knowing what to say.

"I want to bury her or at least something of her, it's the least I can do," his eyes began to fill with tears, "I can't just sit here Quinn, she was my everything and I need to do this for her."

Everyone started yelling again, and I think I managed to work out that no one was going to go with him but weren't going to let him go alone.

"What's the problem?" I yell over everyone.

I got a million answers at once but as soon as I raised my eyebrow everyone shut their mouths. They all looked round at each other and then Sam spoke first.

"He can't go back there alone," he tells me.

Already knowing completely well that no one wanted to go I say, "That's fine someone will go with him," I looked over to Mike as he gave me a thankful look.

"No one is going back there Quinn," Puck told me.

"Why not?" I ask him.

"You were there with us today right?" Santana asked me.

"Yeah I was Santana, but Mike can't go alone and if he wants to go try to collect something, lay to rest what has happened, then someone should be a good friend should go with him," I tell them.

"I agree," Rachel piped in and for a moment I thought she was agreeing with me, "I don't think anyone should go back there."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "Fine, if everyone else wants to be a jackass about it, I will go, I saw what happened to her."

Another huge eruption of yells sounded and I just stood there and looked at them until they had finished yelling.

"Would you all just shut up," I continue once I had their attention again, "I've already decided I'm going."

"No Quinn don't be silly," Rachel said touching my arm.

I pulled my arm away from her, "I'm going, let's go Mike."

Everyone started yelling at us yet again but we just walked outside, closing the door behind us, stopping the sound.

"Thanks Quinn," Mike says tearing up again.

I place my hand on his shoulder, "I didn't get the chance to try to save her Mike, so going back, burying anything that's...left of her. It's the least I can do."

"You really don't expect there to be much...do you?" he asked, his face falling again.

I sigh, my voice still shaky as if it were close to tears but I had none left to cry, "I saw it happen Mike, even in the rush to get out of there, all I saw was blood, I didn't really get a great look."

"Well what can we do then?" his eyes dragged around the yard, spotting the black canvas that had covered the jeep, "Reckon we can use that?"

"Nobody will miss it," I slightly joked, grabbing the damn thing.

It was then the door burst open and everyone started running out toward us, all their words being blended into one. There was nothing any of them could say that would change our minds. Mike and I went inside to the kitchen and grabbed a days' worth of food and water just in case we get caught up somewhere. As we packed the jeep everyone was following us around the whole time telling us why we shouldn't go for the umpteenth time, by the end of it I just gave up replying to them and just walked around them and got everything I needed and placed it all in the car.

It wasn't long before we had everything together and we were hopping into the jeep, it was good to get in and close the door and stop some of the squawking. I had just put my seat belt on when Finn opened the door.

"You can't go Quinn, neither of you can," he tells me gesturing toward Mike.

"Finn we are going, it's not going to take long and we will be back just after dark," I say not looking at him.

"Quinn stop," he yelled and reaches over and unclips my seatbelt and pulls me out of the car, "You're being stupid."

I was so not in the mood for this. "Let me go," I say as calmly as I possibly can.

"Not until you realise you're being stupid," he says in his 'friendly' voice.

I look down at his hand around my forearm and then back up at him. "Finn I swear if you…" I began before Rachel cut me off.

"Quinn just listen to him, it's dangerous," she orders me.

"Yeah just listen to me," his grip on my arm getting tighter, "I'm the leader."

I was about to lose it with him. The leader?

"Finn we are not in Glee club anymore, you can't pull that crap here," I say raising my voice, "where were you when everything happened? When Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury died? Nowhere! You just took off with the rest of them. You are a coward Finn Hudson! So how about you release my arm so I can go help a friend."

"Stop it Quinn, you are just upset," Rachel told me. No shit I was upset, what did she think I was, a fucking robot?

I looked at her with a 'how dare you' expression and then back to Finn who's grip on my arms was making me lose circulation. "Let me go," I say for the last time, my anger at boiling point. The pain in my arm felt like nothing.

"You're being a bitch Quinn, how about you just take a seat and calm down and then we can talk about it some more?" he said pulling me back towards the house.

I was not going to let him keep ordering me around especially when he does nothing for anyone around here. He always got on my nerves but today he was pushing his luck. I was trying to help one of my friends and all he was doing was being an asshole with no balls. He tugged my arm trying to get me to move towards the house, but instead of moving I brought my free arm backwards and when he turned around to look why I was still struggling, I swung it forward and collided my fist with his jaw.

He yelped in pain, releasing his hold on my arm, "Fucking hell Quinn, what was that for?"

"For being a dick," I reply as I say hopping back into the jeep next to Mike to was trying to hold back an inappropriate laugh.

Mike starts the car and slowly begins to roll forward. I kept my head facing the front but I could see everyone's expression out of my peripherals and it was pure shock. It startled me when Mike began to laugh.

I was still pissed off and just looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Nice to see you laughing," I say with a small smile myself.

"That… was… like," he said in between fits of chuckles, "the best thing… I have seen in ages."

"Well he deserved it," I tell Mike, "He was being an ass, you can't just grab someone's arm and do that. And he told me sit down, we aren't in Glee club anymore, and I'm not Blaine."

"I know but I think Finn was getting on everyone's nerves and you just did what no one else has had the guts to do," he told me, trying to be serious again.

"He needs to get down off his imaginary pedestal that he has put himself up on and wake up and see what's really happening," I said to Mike almost like I was defending my actions.

"You don't need to tell me that," he told me placing a hand on my shoulder while he was driving out of the gate, "I knew that already. So does everyone else, you're just the one who decided to voice it."

"I'm definitely going to get in trouble for the punch later though," I sighed.

"Don't worry about that, I think he will be too scared to do anything like that again," He laughed again.

I just nodded. It wasn't Finn I was worried about. It was Rachel. The look of horror on her face was enough to say it all. I'd only seen a glimpse of it as I was entering the car, but it was pure shock at the entire ordeal. I hadn't listened to her, I hadn't listened to her damn boyfriend, and better yet I'd hit the dumb oaf. If she wasn't raging with anger I'd be surprised, I'd be even more surprised if she ever talked to me again. No, I was definitely not looking forward to returning from this trip.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Hey guys sorry it has been so long since I updated. Been so so busy with Uni and then I had to do a Professional Experience for my course too so I had no time for anything else but that until now, so yay I'm back, here is the latest chapter and I hope you all like it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

The drive took less time than I remember and I wasn't afraid to say that the closer we drew to our destination, the more uneasy I felt. Mike and I didn't say much after our first little chat about the punch I threw at Finn; it was talked of in a way that reminded me of the gossip once said at school.It was after things went silent between us that my nerves grew and I could tell Mike was just as jumpy. This was a huge thing for us to be doing, we were risking our lives, but I knew it was the right thing from the moment it was mentioned. Tina wasn't just a friend to any of us. She was family, and this was the very least we could do for her. Especially since I just laid there and did nothing to help. If anything of this 'apocolypse' is going to stick with me, it's going to be this. Yes, I was there when we lost Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury and I was the one that shot Mercedes, but this time it just felt different.

Mike pulled to a stop five hundred metres back from where the pileup of cars started. We have learnt a thing or two from past experiences, car engines can draw the undead to us just as fast as a gunshot can, and we weren't taking any chances this afternoon. I opened the door and jumped out and looked around, it was still quiet and no signs of life, alive or otherwise. I looked over at Mike and he was staring forward, I could tell what he was thinking and it was the same thing that was going through mine.

_Will there be anything left of her at all? Was this all just a pointless mission and we were risking our lives? No we have to try, for Tina and if not for her, then for us, for a piece of mind. _

I closed the front door behind me and opened the back door. I looked around for a second and then grabbed the bag I placed in there earlier. I flipped it open and pulled out a long sleeved shirt, jeans and my black leather jacket, the one that had the hood. I pulled off my shirt and threw the long sleeve shirt on, followed by my jacket. I then took off the shorts I was wearing and replaced them with the jeans. My hand went back into the bag retreating out with protective eye glasses and a bandana. It would be dark soon and sunglasses would not be helpful while trying to see in the dark.

We learned early on that when dealing with the undead you really need to try and not come into contact with the infection at all. Yes, bites and scratches will cause you to become infected, but getting their blood or saliva in your eyes and mouth can be just as bad. So now whenever we are going somewhere we know there are undead, or even suspect the infection, we make sure we're all well protected.

I looked over to Mike again and saw he was doing the same and I was, "Can you please pass me my boots?" I ask pointing to the pair of army boots near his bag.

"Sure can," he replied pushing them to across the roof to me with, his hands visibly shaking beneath them.

"Are you scared Mike?" I say taking them and then sit down to put them on.

"Yeah. I am. A little" he says, "It's just feeling like maybe this trip is for nothing, what if we don't find anything?"

I was feeling the same way but I wasn't planning on telling him that, "we need to stay positive," I reinforce, nodding to assure myself too, "There's got to be something, no matter how small."

He gave me a smile and a small nod and continued getting ready. I finished lacing up my boots and placed the sunglasses on top of my head and tied the bandana around my neck so I could pull it up if I needed it.

"Do you think we should take the guns?" I ask glancing at the gun bag nestled on the backseat floor.

Guns have always been an issue. They are too noisy and attract both the living and the undead. Instead we usually carry baseball bats or sharpened hand weapons, swords seemed to forever be a favourite. Mike's weapon of choice has always been two forearm length blades; he used to be choppy with them but nowadays he swerves in and out of combat like an assassin, as he would say, referencing the games he once played.

I stick with my trusty a baseball bat and a knife kept tightly at my side. I shove my hand back into my bag and pull a flashlight out, securing it to my belt; it was getting dark out far too fast and we didn't want to be caught somewhere when the sun finally did set. I threw Mike the spare and he did the same.

"You ready?" Mike asks as adds the last securing to his blades.

"As I'll ever be," I tell him grabbing the baseball bat out of the back.

"Ok then. Let's go," He nodded and we began the walk towards the cars.

Yes we were five hundred meters back from the cars but the walk felt like it took mere seconds and the sun made its ever-rapid decent towards the ground as we went. I doubt we will be home tonight. It's been months since I was this nervous. We always had a plan, we knew what roles we had to play, we got in, we got out and that was that. We stayed focused and nothing went wrong. Usually. Well, since we found Rachel everything seems to be going wrong. We haven't been planning properly, we just go and it's not good, it's dangerous and it can lead to something like this happening. Both Mike and I knew that this was a bad idea, however it was because of the groups carelessness that Tina ended up like she did, but after today no more just running into something blind with no plan.

I looked over at Mike as we walked; he was wearing a blank expression so I didn't bother trying to ask any questions. Instead I turn my head back to the front.

"You alright Quinn?" he asked, rather unsure of the question himself.

"Yeah. I'm fine" I reply with a small nod of the head and a slight shrug.

He looked at me with his 'I know something is up, and I will get it out of you one way or another'look. He can do this with everyone, it's kind of creepy in a way but also very comforting.

"I really am fine," I tell him, adding a fake smile before turning sombre again "I'm just wondering if this wouldn't have happened if we had planned better. You know, like we used to."

"I don't think planning this out better would have stopped Tina from leaving where she was hiding while there was a mass of infected heading her way. Something must have really spooked her to make her leave her hiding spot and try and run for help," his resolve was strong, and his determined face told me more than his words ever could. He honestly thought Tina had seen something we all missed. I nodded, he needed this - that hope - to hold onto.

"Yeah. That must have been the reason," was all I could manage to get out. I didn't know what else to say. I couldn't comfort him on a theory I wasn't sure was even true. For all we know she may have gotten scared and thought she could make it back to us. She broke protocol and ended up paying the price for it. I know I seem heartless; I cared for Tina as much as the next member, but if she had stayed where she was, she'd probably still be alive.

"What will we do if the same group comes though again?" Mike questioned, glancing into an empty straggler car window "or even another?"

"We hide," I tell him, "we wouldn't make it back to the car and we can't take them all on. The only thing we can do is hide… and stay there."

I didn't know if I should have said the last bit but I did. It didn't seem to effect Mike at all or he was just good at hiding his emotions.

"You're right," he nodded, "we hide."

"And not pull any heroic shit," I smile nudging him in the side.

"Hey speak for yourself 'Miss I saved Rachel Berry'," he laughed nudging me back.

I just gave him a small laugh and a blushing grin back. Inside the comment hurt though; it hit too close to home. I didn't need to be distracted by Berry and my feelings for her. She made her choice and I can't change her mind so I need to keep her out of mine.

"Ok. Protective gear on," Mike said as we reached the start of the bank-up, "There may not be anything here, but we can never be too careful."

I pulled the bandana over my nose and mouth then the glasses over my eyes. "Done," I tell him, my voice muffled through the fabric, "ready?"

"Yeah I'm ready," he nodded and lead the way.

I took a deep breath and followed him in. We needed to stay close and quiet because it was getting dark and if we lost each other it would be a pain to find one another again. No loud noises and no light either unless truly necessary because both will draw the infected to us and that was something we could both live without seeing tonight. In and out with no trouble was the plan. We walked slow, stopping every so often to listen to our surroundings in case something was following us. Nothing ever was. It was quiet… too quiet for my liking. Nothing good ever came from too quiet. There weren't even any crickets chirping. We needed to keep on our toes and stay alert.

I was beginning to feel nervous again, sweat trickled down my neck. It was only since I found Rachel that I had started to feel things again. It had been such a long time since I ever considered that I might be nervous or sad or angry; and so worried about everything. I had learned to block most of that out. A quivering hand from nerves meant the difference between killing an infected or missing the shot and them killing you.

We walked, and walked… and walked, neither of us saying a word. One; because we needed to be on full alert, and two; I just don't think we had anything to say. What was there to say? _"I'm sorry that this happened." "I wish it didn't happen." "I know it's hard." _We have all heard it before and it doesn't make it any better or easier… and it sure as hell doesn't help. We have already lost so many and the constant repeating drone of apologising grated on us. We are all feeling the same thing; they were all family, saying the same things everyone else was saying seemed useless. For a long time we just lost people. Until we found Rachel. She was the first person we were able to bring into our group rather than see them disappear. I think it created some hope in people, a sign that things might be looking up. Then we lost Tina, and all our spirits dropped again.

The sun had fallen behind the mountains, darkness was upon us and it felt like we had been walking for hours. Had we walked too far? Surely we weren't this far in when the attack happened… were we?

"Mike," I whispered.

I heard him stop in front of me and I quickly had to stop so I wouldn't walk into him. He turned and grabbed my arm.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a hushed voice, "did you hear something?"

"No I'm fine," I told him, "It just feels like we have gone too far."

"I don't think so," he replied still holding onto my arm, "I remember seeing that bus up ahead, I think it was the one Santana was standing on. So if I', right Tina will be just…."

He paused. My eyes widened trying to see in the dark and strained my hearing trying to see if something was there. There wasn't. I didn't know why he stopped, but I was starting to panic. There was so much silence encroaching on us, my ragged breathing the only thing signalling that we were still alive.

I shook his hand that had my arm in a deathgrip, "Mike, what's wrong?"

I peered around him, I couldn't see anything. Even though my eyes had adjusted it was still very, very dark.

"Mike," I say again, shaking him out of his state.

"Sorry," he replied, "I'm just scared, what if we find something neither of us want to see?"

"It will be ok," I said trying to sound as confident as I could, my shaking hand still gripped tightly on his arm.

He moved away slightly before coming back in, taking my hand in a comforting way, nodding resolutely. With a quick squeeze back we began walking again, tucked close in against each other. We walked slowly towards the mini bus, my heart threatening to pound right from my chest. Our speed didn't quicken as we reached the mini bus, if anything it slowed. When we reached the front of the bus we stopped.

I could see the car where Rachel and I were once hiding, the bodies still lying next to the car where we propped them up. I swallowed hard and turned slightly and saw the place where Tina had fallen. My breath caught as all the memories came flooding back. The look of horror in her eyes as she fell and couldn't get back up. The heart wrenching scream that erupted from her throat as the infected sunk their teeth into her. Rachel's shakes and sobs next to me. The scared and worried look in her eyes, her hands griping me ever so tight. The feel of her lips against mine. How soft they were and how perfectly they fitted with mine.

My heart gave a little jump causing butterflies to erupt in my stomach. I should not be thinking of Rachel. Now is not the time. I need to focus and when I'm thinking about her that isn't possible; she takes up my every thought.

_Snap out of it Quinn_ I told to myself. I pushed Rachel to the back of my mind and gave Mike's hand a nudge. We both slowly walked forward to where Tina fell. I could feel the tears pricking at the corner of my eyes. Mike knelt down and put his hand on the ground where she fell. From his belt he pulled a flashlight and turned it on.

The whole area was a bloody mess. There wasn't much left of Tina. A finger here, a clump of hair there. My heart was aching for Mike. I couldn't imagine losing Rachel like that. Yes I lost her to Finn but I couldn't imagine her not existing anymore. I felt a tear escape from my eyes but quickly shook it away before Mike could see.

Mike was being very strong. He wasn't crying and or breaking down like he did after it happened. He suddenly stood up and I saw something glistening when it caught the light in his hand. He turned to me and held out his hand. Sitting on his palm was broken necklace with a small love heart pendant. It took all my strength not to cry.

"I gave this to her just before we graduated," he spoke softly, "So when I graduated she would always have my heart with her."

I felt another tear escape my eyes. _DON'T CRY QUINNFABRAY_! "It's beautiful," I choked out just above a whisper.

He nodded and then placed it in his pocket. "There's not much here," he told me, "I want to make a cross for her and leave it here. I have her necklace; it is something of hers that I can keep close."

"Ok," I replied sniffling another sob away, "let's find something to make the cross then. We need wood or metal, flat or round. And maybe some rope."

"Yeah," he agreed, "but we stay together." I nodded. I couldn't have agreed more.

It didn't take us long at all to find something to use. There was a small truck that was carrying thick metal pipes. They were a bit longer than we needed but it worked just the same. We found rope in a nearby car. I held the flash light while Mike tied the pipes together and then signed '_Tina Cohen Chang_' into them with a marker.

We walked back and placed the cross against a car near where she fell. Then we both stood there and just looked at it. I felt like I should say something but nothing was coming out. What can I say? _"Tina you had a good life."_ She spent it all in school and then ended in a zombie apocalypse. She barely lived at all. _"You were an amazing person."_ Yeah I could say that but everyone including her knew that. She had an amazing voice and an awesome personality and after the planet became infected she was one amazing person then too.

I looked over at Mike and he was still just staring at the cross. I DID need to say something, but I couldn't think of anything for the life of me. So I settled for the simplest of things. "You will be greatly missed by everyone Tina," I said quietly, "I hope you are in a better place."

Mike let out a sob and nodded, "I love you Tina." He placed his hand on the cross and then stood up. He looked over at me with tear filled eyes, his goggles propped up on his forehead, and said "Thank you for coming with me and thank you for saying those things." I pulled him in for a hug feeling the tears in my eyes and replied "anytime my friend."

As we broke the hug I felt something whiz past my head and heard it clank as it lodged into the car behind me. We both ducked into defensive positions. I swung around madly trying to find whatever it was and then I saw it. A knife stuck haphazardly out of a car door.

"What in the hell...?" was all that I managed to say before another one raced between Mike and I, lodging itself in the same car.

We dived behind the minibus, glancing around the corner. "Who's there!?" Mike called out into the darkness.

Predictably there was no answer.

"ASSHOLES!" I yelled out, my hand around tightening around the bat.

Mike grabbed my arm and whispered, "Maybe calling out isn't a great idea. We don't know how many of them there are, or where they are. I think we should just go back to the car as quickly as we can." I agreed and we began to move in the direction of the car, staying as low as possible.

_BANG!_

"AHHH FUCK!" I screamed gripping my upper arm, scampering forward in a hop-kind of step.

"Quinn!" Mike called running over, pulling me up and behind a car, quickly shining his flashlight on the wound, "Let me look."

I pulled my hand away and could see the blood on it, red, warm and sticky. My heart racing a thousand miles a minute. I'd been shot.

"It's not bad," he told me, "it just grazed your arm." He pulled the bandana from around his neck and tied it around my arm, a makeshift tourniquet. "We need to keep moving, okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied, "let's just get out of here."

We began to move at a run this time. Heads still ducked as low as possible. Whatever idiot was chasing us had likely alerted the undead to our presence. Gunshots were _such_ a bad idea. And there was no way we were sticking around when the hoard decided to make an appearance. The throbbing burning pain in my arm trickled down my side as we ran.

_BANG! BANG!_

Bullets flew past us and lodged themselves into surrounding cars. We weaved in out of the traffic, praying that it put them off our trail but I could hear their footsteps gaining on us all the same. As I ran I grabbed the pistol from my thigh, a risky move I wouldn't have used otherwise. Guns were bad. I fired blindly back into the dark. Mike ducking his head.

"Heads down!" we heard one of them call, "Quick get them!"

We ran even faster. As fast as our legs would take us but we could still hear them behind us and the blazing gunshots rang in our ears. It was dark and we couldn't see where we were running. Which was the sole reason why we didn't see a massive group of undead until we were practically on top of them.

"FUCK!" yelled Mike, skidding to a halt and dragging me back the way we had come, "Go go! I'd rather deal with these assholes than the undead! RUN!"

He didn't have to tell me twice. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, I'd always take the rock.

We kept running back the way we came, footsteps all around us; undead and assailants all at once. Our attackers obviously decided a retreat was a better option too. Their guns still rang off loudly; were these people stupid? Did they _want _to die?

A truck had rolled off the road and I pushed Mike towards it, off the beaten trail was a far better idea right now. Trees suddenly surrounded us, choking us and grabbing at every limb. I wanted to scream but tightened my jaw. Reaching out I stopped Mike to a slower pace, glancing over my shoulder to the pile up of cars. The moans of the undead seemed miles away.

"What the hell is going on?" I panted, my voice frantic and terrified.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" he replied, throwing a hand back towards the rubble, "Who the fuck were the people shooting at us?"

And as if they were waiting for an invitation, men and women suddenly leapt from the trees straight at us. I was barely able to draw my knife before I was knocked to the ground, the air leaving my lungs in an instant. Immediately my eyes were drawn to Mike as he attempted to take two of the bigger attackers on.

Swinging back to my assailant as he stood over me, his face closing in, a leapt forward, slamming forward and knocking my head into his nose. He instantly reared up in pain, clutching at his bleeding face. I felt around the ground for my knife, how in the hell it had been knocked that far away was beyond me. And then I saw my attacker, shaking his head free of the pain, the knife tucked securely in his own fist.

I stumbled backwards, praying I could still do proper hand-to-hand fighting. The first few swings were easy to dodge, but he read my moves and in mere moments a searing hot pain flew through my cheek, making my eyes water and cloud my vision. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, feeling the sticky bloody mess on my cheek as I went.

I reached for my gun again, but just before I could get a shot off I felt the mass of the attacker ram into me. The bullet hissed straight off into the air. In a daze of gunshot fire and beatings, I saw Mike hunched over and as I struggled to make my way to him I heard a helpless cry erupt from my friend's mouth before he finally slumped to the ground.

"NO!" I screamed as I tried to run towards him, quickly held back by his two attackers, my vision instantly blurred in terror, "Let me go!" I both demanded and cried, struggling against their invading hands.

Footsteps behind and a body pressed flush against my back, "You will pay for this Fabray," he told me in a sickly sweet familiar voice. It was the last thing I saw or heard before the knife handle came down onto my head with a crunch.


	9. Chapter 9

**Authors Note: **Hey hey guys here is the new chapter. I hope you all like it. It was really big so my Beta decided to cut it into 2. Originally it finished with Faberry fluff but you will have to wait until the next chapter for that. Sorry guys. Please keep reviewing, helps me write. Love you all.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee or any of its characters.

_Where was I? What happened? _I opened my eyes just enough to peer around. It dark, dank, and the ground below felt filthy. _How in the hell did I get here? And Mike... Oh god where was Mike!?_

"Mike?" I called out softly, not daring to be too loud in case I alerted the people who brought me here. There was no doubt in my mind that they wanted me dead, or at the very least, injured. "Mike?" I called again, a little louder than before.

"Quinn?" A voice from somewhere behind sounded, making me jump, "Oh thank god you're awake. How are you feeling?"

I hadn't really thought about my own injuries until he mentioned them. I could feel the sting on my cheek, a sticky trail of blood from when it once bled. My wrists hurt too, I gathered I had been crudely bound at one stage. That was all on top of the nagging pain at my head, a lump forming from a blunt force blow; I'd been hit with something.

I struggled to remember what had happened. I knew there were three of them. They had jumped us from the bushes by the road. I was hit, with a gun, or a knife, I wasn't sure on the details. "I'm okay, Mike," I reassured him, "Little blood, bump on the head, not much else. How are you holding up?"

There was shuffling and then I felt him feel around for my hands before clasping them tightly, a breath of relief left him, "I'm fine, I'm fine. Where do you think we are?"

"Hell if I'd know. Bastards hit us pretty hard, Mike," I bit my lip, finding the taste of blood there, but that was hardly a worry at the moment, "I remember there were a fair few of them though. They looked like feral kids, hardly as old us. Younger even. You've been awake for longer, find anything in this damn room?"

"I haven't been awake for long, not long enough to look around much. I found you and then started to panic. You felt dead Quinn, you were so cold."

I laughed. Couldn't help it at the moment. It was so inappropriate and yet it felt right. I heard him chuckle next to me too. Neither of us had a clue where we were, or what to do. We were terrified. The dead, the walking dead that is, they were easy to deal with. Of course they were scary at first. But we became accustomed to them. Learned how they moved, how they hunted. And we learned how to kill them, mostly. Other people though? Unpredictable. And then being alone, leaving the others alone, that was our worst fear. And here we were, stuck in this _fucking_ room, alone, without even an idea on how to get out.

I wasn't afraid to admit I was scared either. Would I ever see Rachel again? See her smile, feel her touch, hear her voice. Would she come looking for us? What if she got caught too. I couldn't bear to see her get hurt. We needed to get out of here, _now_. And this time, I wasn't afraid to kill to make sure we succeeded. "We need to get out, we have to get back to the others," I said, my eyes slowly growing accustom to the dark of the room.

"And how do you suppose we do that? Magically conjure a grenade and throw it at the wall? Hope for the best?" he replied sarcastically.

"Is there a door? Maybe we can pull that thing Puck does, knock it down?" I only half joked. I took his hand in mine, crawling across the floor until I felt a wall, "Here. You go that way, I'll go this way. We'll meet up on the other side? It's just like a haunted house."

We walked opposite directions, whispering to each other as we went. It was slow work, but we made it. The room must have been massive. Where we eventually converged there was a door, or at least something solid and wooden. It lacked a handle, but there had definitely been one there a long time ago. And it felt far too solid to knock down. It reminded me of one of those torture rooms you see in horror movies. Like Freddy Krueger or something.

Together we moved back to the centre of the room, "Find anything?" I asked when we backed up against the first wall again.

"Except something that felt very similar to a huge hairy spider? No. Felt a bit like walking around a basement though, don't you think? At least the undead can't get us in here?"

I wanted to laugh at that joke, but the reality of our situation was weighing heavily on me. We were stuck in some stinking basement that had a water pipe leak at one point or another. "We'll figure something out, even if it means ramming ourselves into that door over and ov-" however before I could finish, the handless door was flung open, blinding light streaming in.

Four, or what I thought was four, figures stood at the door before they all closed in on us together. I tried to struggle but the hands that had me were far stronger than I gave them credit for, and before I could even get a look at my assailants, a blindfold covered my vision yet again. I felt Mike struggle against me, he was putting up a hell of a fight against them but the extra hands overwhelmed him too and in an instant we were being dragged.

The floor beneath us changed from concrete to carpet and then carpet to wooden stairs. Shit. I couldn't barely walk properly, "Let me go you!" I yelled, digging my heels into the floor, causing one in front of me to trip, his knees making a loud connection with the step.

"Like hell Fabray! Shut your damn mouth!" sounded the familiar voice I remember hearing just before being knocked out.

I knew that voice, somewhere deep in my memories, "Who do you think you are!?" I screamed, struggling again as we climbed the steps, the one holding me shoving me with enough force to slam painfully into the stairs below. I felt my cheek connect with the wood and then the warm trickle of blood began to flow free. Of course they aimed for a weak spot. I wanted to cry out in pain, but held resolute as we continued the climb. We found ourselves on carpet once again, before being pushed to our knees. Mike dropped helplessly beside me. I'd kill whatever bastard thought this was acceptable.

"Why are you here? Where did you come from?" A different but also naggingly familiar voice asked, sweet and yet deceiving, "How many of you are there, Quinn?"

I didn't reply. Mike stayed as silent as I did. Like hell we were giving _them_ information. They'd have to kill us first.

"Don't be a fool, Fabray," the first voice continued, "We saw your little group of people yesterday, just before Miss Cohen-Chang became an afternoon snack," Mike struggled in his binds, I heard his laboured and angry breathing, "What was the Latina bitches name? The one with the dumb blonde girlfriend. Ahh yes, Santana. What about Blaine Anderson? You even managed to drag little Miss 'I'm a star' Berry into your little gang. Do you want them to be hurt, Quinn? Tell us what we want."

I paused. Running his voice over in my head. The venom behind his words. The way he had spoken about Blaine, and Santana. _No_. _It can't be_. I took a leap of faith with my gut, "Well, well, well," I started in the most cocky demeanour I could muster, "Is that Sebastian Smythe? Your weasley little voice is a dead giveaway," I snarled before turning my head towards where the second voice came, although I was not able to see them, I somehow knew I was facing them, "And Jesse St. James, correct? Do you really think I'm stupid enough to have forgotten your dumb voice; months of your whiny talking in glee club was enough to make me wish I'd never heard it."

I felt a hand connected with my split cheek again, causing me to lurch forward. _Spot on_. Mike called out to me, attempting to shuffle closer. And then I heard a grunt as someone shoved whoever hit me. Hands tended to my face, "Seb what are you doing!?" a sweet voice so similar to Rachel's, "Are you crazy," those same hands pulled the blindfold from my eyes.

_Who the hell was this? _I'd never seen her before in my life. She was pretty. Young though. I had at least two or three years on her. "Are you okay?" she asked, glaring daggers at Sebastian who was standing to the side, looking shocked and shamed at himself. To say I was confused by the sudden change in demeanour was an understatement, "I'm sorry they man handled you, they like putting on the tough guy act."

I watched her remove Mike's blindfold too, but she didn't once reach for our hands. She was probably scared of us lashing out. Smart girl. I had no doubt that if I jumped, so would Mike. The girl stood back up, giving one last pointed glare at Sebastian before returning to a side room. There were more people there. All the same age as her. One was a girl who I'm more than sure looked like a carbon copy of younger me, _cheerleader me_. And then there was the boy, a strong guy. Probably their main fighter.

I saw Jesse reappear at my side, he knelt down to my height, "Where are they Fabray?"

"Why the hell should we tell you?" Mike snapped, drawing attention back to him, "Why the hell should we tell _any _of you anything. You could have killed us!"

"You're right!" Sebastian snapped again, taking a step forward before seeing the glares sent his way, "You're right we could have, you're lucky Marley told us not to. Said you'd be more use to us alive."

"And who the hell is Marley!?" I asked, looking around the room for answers.

The girl from before stepped forward, the blonde mini clone of me reaching out for but being shrugged off, "I'm Marley. We really don't mean you any harm. We just need help. Jesse said you two were easy picking, that if we caught you guys we'd get what we needed."

"And what's that?" I watched her closely, inwardly smiling as she flinched at the glare. Still had it.

"Take a look around, there's not many of us here. Hardly enough to continue surviving. There were more. Lots more. Different groups, back from Lima, and other places. That's where we all met up again. All we're asking is to come back with you, we saw your group before that girl...before she got spooked by us and was taken."

"You're the one who scared her into running!?" Mike snapped angrily, struggling in his binds, his eyes were full of unshed tears.

The blonde one stepped forward, blocking off any futile attempt of attack at Marley, "It wasn't her fault! Your friend was an idiot. We were under some cars when she hid close by, she saw us, got spooked and ran. There was no _way _we were risking our lives to tell her to stay down. All Marley has ever done is keep your group safe, we were going to approach you but _she_ told us to turn around. Give you time to grieve."

I gave Mike a sombre look, he had calmed down significantly too. Whoever these people were, despite the fact they had dragged us to god knows where. Were only a bunch of kids. Except Sebastian, he was still grinding on my nerves. The crazed look in his eyes had me on edge. He wasn't trustworthy when he threw that salt in Blaine's eyes, and he wasn't trustworthy now.

I turned back to Marley, and the blonde who was being protective of her. The boy in the back being nothing more than a guard, the gun around his shoulder told me that. Before I could say anything however, Mike stepped in, "Look we can't make any deals with you, our group isn't like that. We run on majority votes. And you being with _these two_," he motioned toward Sebastian and Jesse, "Isn't going to increase your chances. That's the best we can offer you."

Mike was my hero right now, ever the diplomat. It wasn't the first time he'd done something like this. Years ago we were faced with a small gang of guys who were just as terrified as us. Only they had their weapons drawn first. He talked them down and we had made an unsteady alliance for the few days we were in that town.

"How do we know you'll stick to your end?" the boy with the gun asked, stepping forward finally. He was bigger than I first gathered. At least as big as Puck. Hell he even _looked_ a little like Puck.

"You're going to need to trust us. Now untie our binds our leave us here to die. Because we aren't going to tell you where they are."

Jesse sighed from somewhere behind us before I felt a cold blade slip between the rope and in seconds my hands were free. I rubbed my wrists before standing on shaky feet, looking more closely at the small group of unknowns, "I'm going to need names, can't go back and tell them, two traitors, a nice girl named Marley and two unknown people want to join us."

The boy exhaled loudly before holding his hand out, "Jake, and the blonde is Kitty," he pointed back at her, she was now leaning in closer to Marley who was smiling, "Don't expect her to introduce herself, she thinks everyone except Marley is below her. And even then..." he suggested with a brow shake and a grin. _Yep_. Just like Puck.

I smiled a tight smile before turning back to Mike, hobbling over to him as he discussed details. I heard the tail end of the conversation. We had 48 hours by sunrise to return with an answer. The meeting point was a tower and outcrop we had passed on our way here. I knew the one, it was a pretty noticeable landmark, covered in years of graffiti. They shook hands, before Jesse turned to me and shook mine too.

He looked tired. They all did. They were survivors just like us, and in the end, that was all that really mattered. 48 Hours. God these next few days would be tense. And Rachel, her helpless face as we had left the protection of the house. I watched Kitty and Marley interact, almost instantly missing Rachel's smile. _I'll be home soon_.


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Note: **all I'm going to say is FABERRY!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

I awoke half an hour before the sun was set to rise. My body was used to this; late nights and early mornings. We had to get used to it, what with all the tension surrounding the world nowadays. It was particularly bad this morning though. My body ached from the bruising of the previous day, and the uncomfortable wooden floorboards didn't aid in my recovery either.

I stumbled to the front door and slowly opened it, peeking around the area. Between the trees I could see the boy, Jake, walking on nearby patrol. He looked at me briefly before returning to his duties. It was a cold morning, the wind cutting to my bones and the chill causing mist to appear when I breathed. It was refreshing if I had to admit. It brought me back to my senses though, this tranquillity wouldn't last, I needed to get back to Rachel and the group before they got it into their silly heads to come looking. The thought of them-no, her, being mauled because she went after me. I couldn't bear it.

"Quinn?" a voice spoke behind me, I could have sworn I jumped at least two feet forward, glad I hadn't screamed. Marley stood there with a sleepy look in her eye, her arms holding a blanket around her figure, "Are you doing alright? Heard you walk by our door..."

"I'm fine," I answered, giving her a small smile. There was a tense, silent few moments between us before I finally spoke up again, "So...you and that blonde, hey?"

Marley blushed, the red rising to her cheeks almost instantly at the mention of her friend. She scratched the back of her head shyly, "Yeah I guess. She wasn't always like this. We used to hate each other in school," she paused to smile at whatever memory she was reliving, "What about you? Do you have someone in these darkest days?"

The smile fell from my face instantly. God I missed Rachel. I hated leaving her the way I did. I remembered the look of horror on her face when we left the gates, left the group. She must be so worried. I turned back to the girl, her eyes full of questions, "Maybe. I think it all depends if we get home safe or not," I finally answered, laughing a sad laugh.

Before we could say anything else though a head of frizzed hair appeared in the hallway. Jesse looked as dazed and sleep deprived as the rest of us. He sniffled before indicating out the door, "Flag down Jake would you? Breakfast time. I hope you like beans and spam, it's about all we got."

Marley motioned for me to go the kitchen, murmuring that she would go and collect Jake. I nodded and made my way back down the hall into the tightly packed kitchen, come dining room, come storage room. I sat opposite the earlier mentioned blonde, a fork held lazily in her hand, a piece of spam flopping off the end.

"You look like shit," she motioned at my face with the spam fork.

I raised an eyebrow at her, a cocky look in place as I surveyed her own dishevelled appearance, "Because you look so great yourself."

She smiled, her eyes gleaming with the same look I saw so often in Santana's eyes when we had been high school. She had found a worthy opponent to banter with. A bowl of spam and beans were placed in front of me by a tired Jesse, and a rub on the head by an equally tired Mike signalling he had joined the party.

I turned back to Kitty, watching as she titled her head slightly. She leant in as she spoke quietly, almost accusingly, "You think it's a waste of time. Us sending you back. You know your team's going to say no."

Except her tone held nothing but sadness and disappointment. She had lost people. You could always tell the survivors amongst the survivors that had seen death itself. It wasn't losing her own life that she feared though. I saw her eyes flit to Marley, the girl smiling over the small gas stove at Jake who was eating out of the pot. She didn't give a damn about herself. All she cared about was the brunette. I knew how she felt in that instant.

I gained her attention again, laying a hand over hers, "I promise we'll try as hard as we can. For Marley, and for you," I smiled grimly as I released my hold and returned to my beans, glad for a moment that everyone else was distracted, "But there's bad blood between two of your members and few of mine. Just...just keep that in mind."

* * *

Breakfast was over not long after that. Jesse and Jake helped us gather the supplies they took from us the day before. And by the time we were all set the sun was only just starting to warm the land beneath us. Their entire group walked us back to our truck. I stayed particularly close to Jake, his gun making me feel significantly safer.

We threw all of our gear into the back seats of the jeep, turning back to the group we had spent the last 12 hours with. I headed straight for Marley and Kitty, Mike was 'bro-hugging' Jake and Jesse. The girls looked at me with sad smiles. Marley took no time however in embracing me, her arms locked around in a deadly tight hug.

I patted her back gently before she finally released her grasp and stood back. Kitty on the other hand, jealously flaming in her eyes, just stuck out her hand stubbornly. I shook it with a tight smile and a nod.

Mike was already in the driver-side of the jeep, hanging out the window to talk some final stuff with Jesse, Sebastian listening closely nearby. I jumped in my side, tapping the dashboard to signal him to go. Just as we had started the ignition however, Kitty called out, rushing to my door with an unreadable look on her face.

I saw Sebastian tense up almost instantly as she held out a small star charm, one similar to what Rachel would wear. I took it with a confused gaze at her. She looked around the group, Sebastian had turned from plain sour to a seething glare. She swallowed before she looked back at me, "Listen, I know you're doing a tonne for us already, but take this, show it to a girl named Rachel. Tell her that Harmony is...look just tell her that she's sorry."

I saw Mike next to me crane to look at the star pendant before we both looked at Kitty. She looked nervous and immediately found the ground more appealing to stare at. When she looked back up her facade of being strong and head bitch had returned, "Look just do it okay? We know that the Berry girl is in your group, St. James said so. Harmony told us to give it to Rachel Berry if we ever happen to meet the girl."

When she went to walk away again however, I reached out the door and grabbed hold of her hood of her jacket, effectively stopping her in an unintentional chokehold "What happened to her? This girl, Harmony?"

Kitty shrugged as Marley closed in on her, gently taking the blondes hand. There was silence for a moment before Jesse spoke up beside them, deciding to fill in the unanswered question, "We have no idea. She's probably dead. Haven't heard a word from her in a while. She used to leave us small notes beneath the door, or return to eat after a few days, but it's been well over a month," he frowned as he stared back towards the forest, eyes searching for something not there, "Get us into your group Fabray, then I might tell you the rest of her story."

* * *

We had been driving for what felt like forever, the sun having risen far beyond the horizon now. We were exhausted and sore and I knew Mike was suffering from his newfound knowledge that Tina had run because of the group we had somehow made friendly terms with. Finally however, and with an audible sigh of relief on both our parts, our road came into view.

_I'm home Rachel, I'm home_.

Sam was patrolling the inside of the gate when he heard and then spotted our vehicle, waving frantically as he yelled into his radio. The gates opened without hesitation as he ran to follow the vehicle up the driveway.

We watched our teammates, our friends, crowd out onto the front porch; and by the time we had pulled up, Santana had gotten sick of waiting and had rushed to my door, yanking it open before yanking me out into a frantic hug. I embraced her back, as tight as my injuries would allow and I heard her mutter a barely audible _thank god_ into my ear.

I scanned the rest of our group, standing on my toes to find the one person I couldn't wait to see. And then before I could even register what was happening, a blur of brown flew past the rest of the group and crashed into me. Tiny but remarkably strong arms tightening around me in a hug. I had expected yelling and crying at me, for leaving like I did. Not this. It took me a moment to recover before I dropped my duffle bag and threw my arms around her too.

"You're alright," she sobbed into my shoulder, "You came back, you're alive," she moved back a little, failing to sniffle back her tears, "And you stink," she mentioned, wrinkling her nose, "Where have you been?"

I gave her a half-assed glare before smiling at her, linking our fingers together, "It's a long story," I said, only I wasn't only speaking to her now, the rest of the group was listening just as intently, "And we'll tell you, _after_ we've had showers and gotten into some clean clothes."

The group offered us consoling pats and small laughs. They were just happy to have us back I suppose. Mike and I separated as I made my way up the stairs, Rachel clinging to my side. It was just like when we found her. Only this time she was the frantic one. As we passed her room to the upstairs bath, she grabbed a medical kit, returning yet again to stick to my side. I let her tug me down the hallway, hobbling after her as I let my mind run. Why wasn't she angry or upset? I had hit her boyfriend after all.

She lead me into the bathroom, closing the door and then turning the lock over before facing me again, "Right, you really do stink," she giggled, motioning at my entire self, "And you look awful, like you wrestled with a bear. Take off your shirt."

"Excuse me?" I said with a teasing eyebrow raise.

"So I can see the extent of your injuries of course Quinn," she turned to look at me with a glint of mischievousness before coughing, blush rising to her cheeks, "I mean, I can look away if you prefer?"

I nod, shyness suddenly overwhelming me. I tugged at my shirt only to realize my ribs hurt like a bitch. I tugged again, bending over in a way that felt most comfortable, groaning as I realized there was no way this was happening without help. Rachel turned around at my uncomfortable sound and placed her hands on her hips, "Could you use a hand perhaps?"

My face was beet red, shirt stuck at an entirely awkward angle. I nodded again, shyness completely disabling my ability to speak. I watched her move toward me, a shy smile gracing her features as she tapped my arms, "Up"

I do as she asks, uncomfortable pain shooting through my body. Her hands are like ice on my hot skin. I feel her fingers barely brush against my stomach as they send a bolt through me; I shivered slightly, glad she didn't see it or simply ignored it. "You have great abs" she said, voice barely above a whisper, as the shirt was discarded behind her. I vaguely feel her fingers scrape along my stomach but everything is a blur.

Then there are hands at my pants, unbuckling the belt and then gently pulling those down too. She's standing far too close and this all too much. In the mirror I can see my body is blotched in purple and blue, my red red underwear sticking out like a sore thumb. It's the first time I've seen myself in days. I looked like shit. Blonde hair matted with blood and dirt and whatever other grime. The bullet wound I suffered two days ago a clotted scar. I felt more naked then I was under Rachel's hard look in the mirror, her eyes surveying every piece of me.

And then she moved. I breathed again. I hadn't even realized I was holding in the breath. In the blur of everything I heard the shower run; the angry pipes of the house groaning in protest. And then Rachel was behind me again, trying hard to stare anywhere but me. Her hands were on me again, carefully removing the makeshift bra of bandages. I could hear her breathing. She was nervous.

I turned to face her, one arm covering my breasts. I motion for her to turn around, she complies but I can't help but notice her bright red cheeks. In barely enough time for her to ask what's wrong, I'm in the shower, my boy shorts discarded somewhere across the small bathroom. The water was nice. It calmed the haze I was in, and I could pretend it was the heat that made my cheeks red rather than her presence.

For only a moment I forgot Rachel was still in the room until I heard a breathy giggle and then hands. Her hands felt like they were everywhere all at once. I risked a look down as she stood in the shower too, her clothes soaked through, a washcloth and soap held tightly in her hands. She moved the soap to my hair, running her fingers through it and despite the sting in my eye I smiled, slowly leaning through the torrent towards her.

I half pressed, she half pulled, until she was up against the wall of the shower, her hands settling behind my neck. I moved a strand of hair from her face as she smiled, her eyes glowing in a way I had never seen before. And then she moved in, closing whatever small gap had existed, pressing her lips to mine.

_Oh god. I'm kissing Rachel Berry. _I thought as I ran my hands down her sides, gripping at her sopping shirt. _Oh fuck and I'm naked_. The thought should have jolted me away but her hands and those lips and the small sounds she was making. I inwardly smiled as I ran a hand inside of her shirt, pressing my fingers against her taut stomach and then running a path up her sides again, lifting her shirt only barely. I moved from her mouth to her neck, nipping at it before kissing the stinging wound, pleased to find her fingers dig into my neck.

And that's when I heard it. Above everything. It made the haze and lust disappear in an instant. Mike was screaming from downstairs, heavy footsteps rushing towards the bathroom. And then a bang against the door, "Quinn! Shit we've got a problem, a big one! Get out here, now!"

I looked at Rachel, her eyes full of fear. Whether it was because of whatever Mike was talking about or because of our position, I wasn't sure. All I knew was, she looked terrified. And judging by the tensing of my muscles, so did I.


	11. Chapter 11

**Authors Note: **hey guys here is the next chapter. I got a bit of a block half way through but got there eventually. Please review I looooveee feedback.

**Disclaimer: I do not own glee or anything associated.**

The panic in Mike's voice could not be mistaken for anything. The pure terror that sounded in his voice didn't go unheard even though I knew he was trying to hide it. I look down at a now soaking wet Rachel, her arms were around me and she just stared at the door with a terrified look on her face. I took her hands and pulled her out of the shower behind me and wrapped a towel around myself. I took her hand in my and we ran to the second floor balcony. What I saw made my heart sink. A giant herd of undead was almost at our gates. Rachel gasped beside me and I pulled her into my arms. I look around for any indication as to why they had come here. I see Sam below waving at me and pointing towards the gate. My eyes trail to where he was pointing then I see it. Those idiots followed us and lead an army of infected along with them. They were banging on the gate and screaming for us to let them in.

"_Let them in!"_ I scream to Sam. He looked up to me and nodded. He, Santana and Mike all ran for the gate and pulled it open, letting them in and then closing the gates behind them.

"Rachel. Rachel, look at me," I said tilting her face to look at mine, "Listen carefully. Go get changed and quickly pack a small bag with some clothes and then come straight back to me and don't leave my side ok."

She nodded, "Okay." She ran off towards her room and I raced to mine. I put on my jeans and a singlet and the leather jacket over the top. I grabbed a back pack from the corner of my room and filled it with some clothes, ammo, first aid kit and a knife. I put it on my back and picked up my metal baseball bat from against the wall just as Rachel came into the room with a bag on her back and a look of worry in her eyes. I walked over and pulled her into my arms. "It will be okay," I tell her, nuzzling into her hair that carried her unforgettable strawberry scent. "I won't let anything happen to you I promise."

"I know," she said softly.

I took her hand in mine with a reassuring squeeze and ran downstairs to find everyone in a rush, packing things that would be crucial for survival beyond the safety of these walls. Rachel caught my attention and gestured towards the kitchen. With all this stress I forgot about food and water. "Good thinking," I tell her with a kiss on the forehead. We moved swiftly to the kitchen and pulled open a cupboard where we kept the tinned food. I grabbed three out and put them in my bag and then three into Rachel's. "Why are we putting food in our bags, Quinn?" she asked quietly.

"We can't carry them in our hands or in a box because we might need our hands free," I told her getting water out of the next cupboard and placing one in my bag and then the same again for Rachel. She nodded; I could tell she was scared and I wished I could do something to make this all better and make all the bad things go away for her. I pulled her into my arms again. "Be strong." She nodded.

"Quinn!" It was Puck running in from the living room.

"What's up?" I asked.

"We have the Jeep filled and we're ready to go," he told me, "Mike is getting the other car ready."

I nodded. "Who have you got with you?"

"Finn, Jesse, Brittany, Sebastian and myself." He looked uneasy and I could feel Rachel squirm beside me. "Sam and Santana are doubling on one of the bikes and Jake and Kitty are on the other one."

"We have no room for Marley."

"Leave her with us," I tell him and he nods and runs back out.

Second later a scared dirt covered girl walks into the room. She looked terrified. "Are you ok?" I ask.

"I'm fine," she nodded. "I'm just so sorry that we brought all those things here." I nod and am about to say something to comfort her when a panicked "_Shit! Quick, we need to go_!" came from outside, followed by a bang that was no doubt the gate giving way from the pressure of the undead. I grabbed Rachel's hand and ran from the room with Marley following close behind. We reached the door and I grabbed for the handle, but before I could get a hold it burst opened making all three of us jump backwards and three bodies burst inside. It was Blaine, Kurt and Mike, each one of them whiter than the other.

"What?" I ask. "What's wrong?"

"The car won't start," Blaine breathed.

"Fuck," was all I could say. We were locked in a house with who knows how many ungodly creatures out there doing everything in their power to get to us and to tear us limb from limb.

We all stood there, no one able to speak. We didn't know what we could do or where we could go. It wasn't long before the moans and the sounds of shuffling feet became louder and closer to our front door. I was surprised when I jumped when the first bang against the door came—I was prepared but it still caught me off guard. For once in this new life of mine I was lost for ideas, I didn't know where we could go, or if we could even get out of this house safely. It wouldn't take them long to find us once they were in the house and there was nowhere for us to go from the second story. I needed to think of something, anything to help save Rachel. She was not destined for this kind of death. She was destined for Broadway, and she will get there even if I have to throw myself in front of these undead bastards to get her there. Most of the windows on the ground floor have been boarded shut in case something like this ever happened. There was no way we could jump from the second floor without hurting ourselves. I turned and looked at my friends—no, family—and all I saw was fear. Mike stood to my left holding a baseball bat, letting it hang by his side in a way that told me he knew there was no hope. Rachel was to my right gripping onto my arm as tight as she could. I knew what she was feeling because I was feeling the same way. I didn't speak it, because I didn't want to have to say goodbye to the one amazing thing that has happened in this hopeless place. I look to Marley next, the newest member of our little family. Tears were streaming down her dirt covered face, leaving a clean trail behind. I felt bad for her, not being able to be with her friends, but being trapped in here instead. I sighed. No one should be left without comfort in a time like this. I pulled Rachel's hand off my arm and held it in my left hand. She gave me a strange look but soon realised what I was doing when I took a step closer to Marley and put my free arm around her shoulders. It wasn't a big gesture but I knew she appreciated it by the small smile she conjured out of the tears. I looked over to Kurt and Blaine expecting them to be wrapped up in each other's arms but all I saw was Kurt standing there looking back into the house. Where was Blaine? I didn't hear him walk out of the room, but I couldn't hear much over the now constant bangs and moans emanating from the other side of the door.

"Kurt!" Rachel called getting his attention. "Where's Blaine?"

"He said he had to go get something," he replied walking closer to us.

"Get what?" Mike asked.

"I don't know. He didn't say. He just said he would be back in a minute," he told us with a worried look.

"Why didn't you go with him?" Rachel asked, sounding worried about her friend.

"He told me he would be right back, that's why," Kurt started, getting defensive, and I kind of understood why. He wouldn't let his boyfriend run off if he didn't think he was going to be safe.

"Hey guys, follow me quickly and be quiet," Blaine said suddenly, startling us all as he entered the room. We all looked at him for a second and then quickly followed because none of us had any bright ideas. I had no idea what he found but I was praying to God it was going to help us get out of here and not become zombie food. He guided us to the back of the house and opened the door to the spare toilet that no one ever used. There was a window above that wasn't boarded and no undead that we could see.

"Blaine, I could kiss you," I said, grabbing his arms. "You may have just saved the day you little genius."

He had the biggest smile on his face and I could tell he was proud of what he found, and he had every right to be. He was saving five people's lives including his own by remembering that this little room that no one ever used was here. I returned his smile before he turned and slowly and quietly opened the window. He cautiously poked his head out and looked from left to right before turning back to us and giving us a nod. We all piled into this little bathroom and closed the door behind us so if they did get in, it was just another obstacle for them to pass. Mike climbed out the window first then helped Marley through. A loud bang erupted from inside the house. They had broken through the front door and we had little time remaining. Blaine quickly helped Kurt out the window closely followed by Rachel. Blaine looked at me. "After you," he says, with a wave of his hand. I climbed cautiously through the window and then looked back at Blaine still on the inside. He climbed onto the toilet so he could reach the window like each before him, slowly and carefully he puts one leg through. Then a sudden bang on the door made him jump. I saw it all happen in slow motion; the bang, then Blaine lose his footing and fall through the window with an earth shattering crash. We all looked on in terror. Mike quickly moved to pick him up, carefully dusting the shards of glass of his sweater.

"Blaine!" Kurt cried. "Baby, are you ok?"

"I'm fine," he replied with a groan, trying to hide the cuts on his hands. "Let's just go."

It was a good thing he said it was time to go because from our left a rather large mass of infected were charging towards us. We ran to our right and turned down the other side of the house only to be greeted by more. I looked behind me and saw three planks of wood from the fence were missing. "Quick, this way," I tell them as I grab Rachel's hand and pull her along behind me. I lead the way into the unfamiliar backyard of the home behind ours. I didn't have time to stop and make decisions—I just had to choose a way and, to my surprise, it was the right way that lead out onto the street.

"Where now?" Marley asked breathlessly. I looked around. I had never been in this street before; it wasn't my area to patrol and never had reason to go this way. I didn't want to have to make another decision and I sure as hell didn't want to be responsible for any of my friend's deaths.

"This way," Mike commands, taking charge. "I think this way leads into town."

We run along behind Mike knowing very well that the undead could easily catch us at any second. We pass by all different houses but all very much the same, cold, empty… dead. You used to see a lot of survivors held up in houses and around town, but sooner or later they left and didn't return. Maybe they found safety or maybe they weren't so lucky. This was the first time we have really been separated from everyone else. Sure, we have had a few close calls like in New York but we were going to get back to them. Now, we don't know where they went or if we will find them. We always decided that if something like this happened we would meet about 1km out of town by an old dead tree. I just had no idea how we were going to get there and I was scared to think that the others didn't make it. Would they have gotten out of the side driveway or did they get over run before then? I didn't know. None of us did. Their cars and bikes could have been stopped and surrounded, but we would have heard their screams if they did, right? We would have realised… right?

We kept running without stopping for breath with bats and knives, our only safe weapons, gripped tightly in our hands. I made sure the rest of my group was in front of me while we ran. I didn't dare look over my shoulder to see how many were behind us. They couldn't move fast but they could still keep up and we would eventually tire and loose our breath… they would not, and that scared the hell out of me. We reached the end of the street and Mike suddenly stopped and looked back at us. "This way," he tells us, pointing to the left as he starts running again. We all follow taking in deep breaths before we run again. My muscles and bones were sore after everything that has happened over the last few days. My head was starting to ache and I could tell that all this running wasn't helping my wounds very much. All I wanted to do was stop and find a place to hide, somewhere we can all keep safe and a place where I don't have to say goodbye to anyone again. I wanted this nightmare to be over, all we do is run and hide and lose the people we love. I couldn't keep this up for the rest of my life.

We had made it into the heart of town, a town we have been into many times. Even though all the shops had been cleaned out it still looked the same. Cars crashed into lamp posts, shop windows broken, rubbish littered the streets and by the state of things its beginning to look like nature was taking it back. There were still some bodies that were still in cars or parts of people lying in the street, and it made me feel uneasy but we couldn't ever do anything. There was a park, I'm guessing it was beautiful once when it had people to care and maintain it. The playground for the kids was empty and the swing set swung by itself in the wind. It's poetic… it a way. There was a barricade to the far side of the park, an obvious attempt from the military to try and contain what was happening. Just in front of the barricade was an entrance to a subway station, the sign all faded and worn away. We stopped on the matted grass and I bent over, placing my hands on my knees and taking a few deep breaths. Marley fell to the ground with exhaustion and laid on her back, panting hard. Rachel sat down next to her and put her head on her knees.

"We can't keep running," Kurt breathed heavily. "We need to hide or… something."

"Kurt's right," Blaine replied sounding as breathless as Kurt. "They will eventually catch us, or if one of us falls…"

"We can't stay here long either," I finally say feeling my throat constricting from thirst and breathlessness. Just as these words leave my mouth I see infected emerge from the street across from us. Only a few at first but more begin to appear sending a sinking feeling into my gut. "Time to go," I say as I quickly pull Rachel to her feet. We turn to run back down the street we can from but soon see that the group that was following us finally caught up, snapping their teeth, hands outstretched forever trying to grab us. Not good. We turn and run for another street off to our left. There were three streets this side of the barricade that join onto the park; all three of them were out of the question. There were infected everywhere, not as many as in New York but enough to over throw us in a matter of seconds. I look over at Mike and there is panic written all over his face. Kurt and Blaine where holding hands, fingers interlocked, holding onto each other as tight as they could. Tears formed in my eyes. This was not happening, not now. I reach over and interlock my fingers with Rachel's, feeling her immediately grip on. "This way," I call. I lead them over to one of the buildings hoping that we could find a way in. All the windows and doors have been boarded up and sandbags placed in a wall in front of them. It would take too long to break through. Mike begins to run towards the barricade and I immediately realise what he is doing. He plans to jump it and then go down a street on the other side. I just hope that the barricade will slow them down.

"Faster!" Marley screams in a hopeless voice. I could hear the shuffling feet, the moans and growls emanating from not only behind us but now from in front of us. They were on the other side of the barricade too, we were surrounded. "_Fuck!_" Mike yells, not caring about how loud he was, but seriously what could happen? Attract more of them? They were all pressing against the barricade; their arms outstretched trying to reach for us. If we were going to make a decision we would have to make it very soon or we will be zombie food. I didn't know what was better; watching the ones at the barricade or the ones coming towards us with nothing between us and them. We staggered backwards, all trying to stay as close as we could. Step by step they get closer to us. Kurt and Blaine were hugging, and a small _I love you_ was easy to read on their lips. Mike had a sobbing Marley in his arms while tears stream down his face. I go to turn for Rachel, to pull her into my arms, to tell her how much she means to me but lose my footing as the ground behind me disappeared. Rachel reflexively grabbed me by the arms and pulled me back upright. _What the hell?_ I turned and see that I was looking down into the dark depths of the entrance to the subway. Usually I would have to think about doing something as mindless as this but we didn't have any other option. We couldn't just stand around talking about whether it was a good idea or not.

_I know I'm going to regret this. _"Come on guys," I said quickly. "Down here." None of them argued and just followed me down into the dark depths of the unknown.


End file.
